
\ :: 





\ 



J'iai\ci.s /^)ciy//e.'>'' 



THB 



MimSTRY OE TAIMTON, 



WITH 



LNCIDEKTAL KOTICES OF OTHER PROFESSIONS. 



BY 



SAMUEL HOPKINS EMEHY, 

Pastor of on© of its Churches. 



WITH AN 



INTRODUCTORY NOTICE 



BY 



HON. FRANCIS BAYLIES 



x:S^-^\- 



IN TWO VOLUMES. / 4^>" ,3V ,.^ . 

VOLUME I. [ c/: ...-^vV 



*« The glory of children are their fathers." — Paov. 17 : 6. 
" The Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers." — 1 Kings 8 : 67. 



BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. JEWETT & CO. 

CLEVELAND, OHIO: 

JEWETT, PROCTOR & WORTHINGTON. 

LONDON : LOW & 00. 

1853. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by 

JOHN P. JEWETT &. COMPANY, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. 



N. H. STEAM PRINTING WORKS : 

XBIPP AND OSGOOD, PRINTERS, 
CONCORD, N. H. 



TO 

THE MEMBERS OF THE SEVERAL CHURCHES 

AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES 

IN TAUNTON AND ITS VICINITY, 

THIS 

HUMBLE EFFORT TO KEEP ALIVE 

THE MEMORY OP 

THE FATHERS IN THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN, 

IS AFFECTIONATELY 

INSCRIBED, BY ONE OF THEIR 

PASTORS. 



PREFACE. 



Whoever, in this day of "making many books," pre- 
sumes to add one to their number, is bound to show good 
reason for so doing. That it was not for want of other 
employment the present work was undertaken, every pas- 
tor with the care of a pulpit and the charge of a parish 
can very well understand. Indeed, it has been under the 
constant pressure of numerous parochial duties, that these 
sheets have been prepared for the press. Although the 
materials have been accumulating for several years, their 
arrangement in a form to meet the public eye, is of recent 
date, and has cost no little labor. The toil and time re- 
quisite in such an undertaking are known only to those, 
who with limited facilities have been employed in gather- 
ing up the fragments of our early Ecclesiastical History, so 
that nothing may be lost. With our greatest pains-taking, 
it is comparatively little which can be rescued from obliv- 
ion. But this little is all the more precious, because it 
alone is left to us. The sole object of this publication is 
to make a slight addition to the general fund of knowledge 
concerning the Fathers of New-England. Their memory 



IV PREFACE. 

should be dear to the men of this generation, increasingly 
dear, with the lapse of time, and the ever new develop- 
ments of the value of the institutions which they were en- 
abled, under the Divine direction, to plant in this Western 
World. There is no fear of recurring too often to first 
principles — of asking with undue warmth and earnestness 
for the "old paths" — of keeping too much in mind the 
"ancient landmarks'' which these our fathers set up. It 
has been far from our purpose to give a partisan, sectari- 
an, or sectional character to this work. So far as was 
possible the early ministers of this ancient town have giv- 
en expression to their own views and feelings. They may 
justly claim of the thousands who have descended from 
the first attentive auditors of their words, a calm, and 
candid consideration of these same words once more heard, 
after so long a time, from the printed page. In this way 
— being dead — these venerable men yet speak. 

The plan of the present work was not new with its au- 
thor. Many years since Rev. Andrew Bigelow, D. d., 
now of Boston, then pastor of the Unitarian church m 
Taunton, conceived the plan which his taste and talenc 
admirably fitted him to carry out, of collecting and placing 
in a permanent form the principal facts connected with the 
earlier church organizations in this place. The church 
records were not in existence save for a period of less than 
half a century, having mysteriously disappeared, hke those 
of too many churches in our land. But fortunately the 
records of the to^vn remained. From these records, tra- 
dition, and the retentive memories of the aged, it was 
hoped sufficient might be gleaned to make a volume of 
interest to this community. At the same time Mr. Bige- 
low was prosecutmg his work, the Hon. Francis Baylies 



PREFACE. V 

had undertaken to write a history of the town which should 
embrace other and miscellaneous matter, which could not 
have failed to prove a most valuable addition to the histor- 
ical collections of the State. But at the precise time when 
both these undertakings were partially accomplished, and 
the records of the town were deemed essential to their 
completion, the destructive fire of 1838 came, which laid 
in ashes a large part of the centre of the town, and with 
it, the early records of the town, which were lying with 
comparatively worthless matter in a frail Printing office. 
If the irreparable loss could only teach towns to provide a 
place of safe deposit for such valuable documents, in 
some fire-proof building, the bereavement of a single town 
would prove a most profitable lesson to the remainder. 

With such meao-re materials as the loss of church and 
town records has left, the present work has been under- 
taken and in a v^ry imperfect manner, prosecuted. If 
the compiler has done what he could in the circumstances, 
a lenient community will not, perhaps, charge him with 
presumption in asking its kind consideration. It was far 
from the author's purpose to make a book, when his ac- 
quaintance with the writings of these early ministers com- 
menced. But having made frequent reference to them 
from time to time in the pulpit, and having been from 
various quarters solicited to give specimens of their pro- 
ductions to the public, it did not seem proper to refuse. 

He is greatly indebted to the many kind friends, who 
have sanctioned and encouraged the proceeding, by a 
prompt and full reply to letters of inquiry, and such a 
communication of facts, as greatly enhance the interest 
and profitableness of the work. Their names will appear 
in connection with their communications. It need not be 



VI PREFACE. 

added, that from the Hon. Francis Baylies,* suggestions 
and statements have been derived which have proved ol 
important service. His is one of many names wliich hav-e 
contributed to the distinction of a town, not only earlj 
founded, but early known as the birth-place or adopteti 
residence of some of the most eminent men in this or in 
any other State. 

Taunton, October, 1852. 

* Since the above was •vtritten and in tyite, Mr. Baylies has departed I 
this life, thus swelling the list of remarkable men, whose decease ha^s ■ 
rendered the present year one of painful interest. He died the 28th o'f 
October, 1852, aged sixty-nine years and twelve days, haA'ing been born- 
Oct. 16, 1783, and not 1784, as it is eiToneously printed in the notice of.' 
Mr. Baylies, on page 253, of the 1st volume. It is to be considered 
a Providential thing, that the individual so eminently qualified to assist 
in this effort to revive the memory of the departed dead, should live to 
see it commenced and so nearly completed. The last use JNlr. Bayliei 
ever made of his pen was in connection with this book. ' . 



CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. 



Page. 
,9-11 



Introductory Notice by Hon. F. Baylies, , 

CHAPTER I. 



TAUNTON. ITS SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL CHURCH OR- 
GANIZATION, 13-21 

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER I. 

Note A. Early Literature of New-England, 22-29 

Note B. Names of the signers of the compact on board the Mayflower, 29-30 

Note C. League of friendship between Massassoit and the English, 30-31 

Note D. Squanto's aid to the English, 31-33 

Note E. Winslow and Hopkins in Taunton, 33-36 

Note F. Our Forefathers honest in their dealings with the Indians, 36-37 

Note G. Kames of the first and ancient purchasers of Tannton, 37-38 

♦fOTE H. Proprietors of the " North Purchase," 38 

Note I. Proprietcrs of the *' South Purchase," 39 

Note J. Incorporation of Taunton, and the towns formed from it, 39-40 

Note K. Lechford"s account of the formation of a church in Taunton, 40-42 

Note L. Monuments in memory of Elizabeth Pool, 42-43 

Note M. Descendants of Richard WiUiams, 43-46 

Note N. The qualifications of freemen, 45 

Note 0. Epitaph of WiUiam Pool, 46-47 

Note P. Notice of John Gilbert, 48 

Note Q. " " Henry Andrews, 48 

Note R. " " John Strong, 48-49 

Note S. '' " John Deane, 49-52 

Note T. " " Walter Deane, 52-56 

Note U. " " Edward Case, 56-57 

Note V. " " Richard Smith, and other original settlers, .' 57-62 

CHAPTER II. 

REV. WILLIAM HOOKE, THE FIRST MINISTER OF TAUNTON, ... 63-73 

Hooke's first Fast Day Sermon, preached in 1640, 75-98 

Hooke's second Fast Day Sermon, preached in 1645, 99-129 

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER II. 

■ ^ote a. Letter of Hooke to Governor Winthrop, .130-133 

(note B. Hooke's Discourse on the " Priviledge of the Saints on Earth,-' &c., 133-151 
I Note C. Hooke's " Discourse concerning the Witnesses," 152-154 

^ NoxB SUPPLEMEKIABY. Letter of Key. John Waddington, 154-155 



Vm CONTENTS. 

Pace. 

CHAPTER III. 

EEV. NICHOLAS STREET, THE SECOND MINISTER OP TAUNTON, 1 56-164 i 

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER IH. 

Note A. Support of Ministers in the Plymouth Colony, 165-169 

Note B. Lost production of Street, , 169-170 

CHAPTER IV. 

KEY. GEORGE SHOTE, THE THIRD MINISTER OF TAUNTON, .171-176 

CHAPTER V. 

REV. SAMUEL DANFORTH, THE FOURTH MINISTER OF TAUN- 
TON, 177-1901 

Danforth's Election Sermon, preached in 1714, 191-232 ! 

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER V. 

Note A. The Medical Profession in Taunton, 233-241 ! 

The Legal Profession in Taunton, 242-255 i 

Note B. Danforth's Letters in 1705, concerning a religious awakening, 255-260 ) 

Note C. Danforth's Letter in 1720, to the Ministers of Boston, concerning 

the Indians, 260-266 ' 

Note D. Danforth's " Taunton Lecture,'' 266-267 ' 

Note E. Danforth's " Essay on Singing," 267-287 ' 

Note F. Poem on the death of the Taunton Minister,', 287-291 

CHAPTER VI. 

REV. THOMAS CLAP, THE FIFTH MINISTER OF TAUNTON, ...292-301 

Clap's Sermon on "Our Likeness to God," preached in 1730,. .302-329 

CHAPTER VII. 

REV. JOSIAH CROCKER, THE SIXTH MINISTER OF TAUNTON, 330-341 

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VIL 

NoTB A. Origin of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Taunton, 342-345 

Note B. Crocker's Letter in 1744, to T. Prince, on the Great Revival, .346-376 

Note C. Crocker's Preaching in Middlehoro', and attestation to Revival,. . .376-381 

Note D. Crocker's Ms. Sermons, 381-382 

Note E. Crocker's answer to aggrieved brethren, 382-39S 

Note F. Ecclesiastical Council called, 393-394 

NoTB StJPPi.£JiE:^XAaY. Scrap from Crosweli's Journal, 394 



INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 



The clergy were the principal instruments in keeping alive 
the spirit and enterprise of the English race in the wilds of 
America. Nor did they confine themselves to their ecclesiasti- 
cal functions. Their influence was felt in the civil affairs of 
Government, and even in the transactions of ordinary life. 
Hugh Peters, the minister of Salem, gave the first impulse to 
foreign commerce, and he labored with indefatigable persever- 
ance to open to his followers that road to wealth. They were 
the most trusted physicians and the most trusted lawyers in the 
communities of their respective churches. Danforth, an early 
minister of Taunton, may in fact be called the principal, if not 
the only physician and lawyer, of that town. Sometimes they 
appeared in the field and discovered great martial prowess in the 
ifars with the Indians. Newman, an early minister of Keho- 
both,. pursued with spirit and success even Philip himself when 
flying from Pocasset to the Nipmuck country. They made their 
way through all the hardships, dangers and disasters of war 
with the Bible and the Musket. Providence was set on fire, 
the people fled, but Eoger Williams remained, and while his 
town was blazing around him, he reproached the savages for 
their cruelty and wickedness, and they spared him, for they 
knew, they said, that he was a good man. 

They have been accused of bigotry, and the accusation is not 
without some foundation. Yet there can be little doubt of their 
sincerity. Their bigotry sprung from a fiery zeal, in many in- 
stances no doubt mistaken and misdirected, to compel the com- 



X _ INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 

munities in which they resided to believe in doctrines which 
they regarded as essential to their eternal salvation, rather than 
from spite, envy, malice, hatred and uncharitableness, which in 
modern times corrode the heart and poison the very fountains of 
the social sympathies. 

In this notice we have been led into remarks which perhaps, 
have but slight connection with the subject which we propose to 
present at large, and which is the Ecclesiastical History of the 
ancient town of Taunton. Yet we think that some light may 
be thrown on our own ecclesiastical history by showing in a 
desultory manner, the spuit of the times in which the Shep- 
herds of the flocks opened the forests of New-England to the 
husbandmen of England, and introduced the laws, civilization 
and the arts of the parent country into the wilds of America, 
and whose influences are now felt in the extremest borders of 
this vast Republic, and have opened the sacred fountain of the 
Gospel of Christ even on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It 
is not too much to say that it was the Clergy of New-England,* 
who led the way to the attainment of these mighty results ; such 
men as Wilson and Cotton of Boston, Hio-o-inson and Roger Wil- 
liams of Salem, Richard Mather of Dorchester, his distinguish- 
ed son. Increase Mather, President of Harvard College, Ms 
still more distinguished son. Cotton Mather, superior in learn- 
ing to his father and grandfather, but deficient in what they 
abundantly possessed, — common sense, — and many others. 

Williams was the founder of the State of Rhode Island, the 
friend and associate of Sir Henry Yane, the Governor of Mas- 
sachsetts, and one of the greatest men of his times, and of his 
rival, John Winthrop, also Governor of Massachusetts, and to 
him even the dark and suspicious Cromwell, and his son who 
succeeded him in the Protectorate of England, gave entire con- 
fidence. Williams was the best expositor of the science of 
Government, not only in the times in which he lived, but les- 
sons, even now, might be taken from his theories, from which 
modern statesmen might profit. 

'^ Note A. Appendix to Chapter I. 



INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. XI 

Chauncy, the second President of Harvard College, was call- 
ed from his parish in Plymouth Colony to take charge of that 
renowned seminary of learning, and Dunster, the first Presi- 
dent, returned to Scituate, and frequently exercised his clerical 
gifts. 

Amongst these great men, the two first Ministers of Taunton, 
Hooke and Street, held no undistinguished place. The ser- 
mons of Hooke, who was a cousin of Oliver Cromwell, and 
who was the confidential friend and adviser of that great man, 
particularly when the crown of Great Britain was oflfered to 
him hy Parliament, are still extant ; and the determined spirit, 
hold and energetic eloquence which characterized him, are ap- 
parent in his works. Street, also, was one of the ablest writers 
and politicians of his day. Hooke, who left Taunton for New- 
Haven, went to Eno-land durins: the Protectorate of Cromwell, 
and Street succeeded him at New-Haven, and as a statesman 
discovered great talent on the question of the junction of the 
ancient Colonies of New-Haven and Connecticut. 

In returning to ancient times we are compelled to remark, 
that the first original instrument, or organic law which would 
now be called a Constitution, was conceived and adopted as 
such, in the harbor of Cape Cod, in which the principle that 
the majority should rule was recognized. This principle is at 
the bottom of all our institutions of Government, the basis of 
all, which without it are mere forms, destitute of all efiiciency. 
And thus to the Pilgrims of Plymouth we must look for the 
original principles of all our modern Constitutions. It was 
through them, and them alone, we were freed from all feudal 
obligations and the pride and influence of birth ; they it was who 
gave the first sanction to the equal rights of mankind. 



THE MBISTRY OF TAUNTOJ^. 



CHAPTER I. 

TAUNTON. ITS SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL CHURCH 
ORGANIZATION. 

It was only about six months after the first fire was 
kindled in the forest of Patuxet, or New-Plvmouth, in 
mid-winter, bj Gov. Carver and just one hundred others,* 
who had agreed to call him the leader of their expedition, 
that two of their number, Stephen Hopkins and Edward 
Winslow, (afterwards governor,) undertook their long and 
perilous journey of more than forty miles from Patuxet to 
Packinokik, " sometimes called Sowams, afterwards Mount 
Hope, and since named Bristol."! The object of that 
great undertaking was one which reflects the highest honor 
on the founders of the colony, and which is worthy of be- 
ing rem.embered by their posterity. It should silence 
those who are wont to cast aspersions on the fair name of 
the fathers of New-England, as if they were cruel and 
unchristian in their treatment of the people they found 
here. The treaty with Massasoit, entered into the March 

* Note B. 
i t Prince's New-England Chronologv, vol. i. p. 102. 

2 



14 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

following the landing at Plymouth, sufficiently well indi- 
cates the peaceful policy of the Pilgiims.* 

It was the design of Winslow and Hopkins in their visit 
to Mount Hope, so soon after the ratification of that treaty, 
to assure "the greatest commander amongst the savages" 
of the good will of the English, in the very words of one 
of the ambassadors, which have come down to us — " to ' 
continue the league of peace and friendship — to make 
satisfaction for some conceived injm-ies." And what was • 
the great injury which these honest men took a journey of 
forty miles through a thick wilderness to confess to the 
Sachem of Packinokik, and, if possible, to repair ? Let 
Edward Winslow speak for himself, and for his company : 
"Whereas at our first arrival at Paomet (called by us; 
Cape Cod) we found there corn buried in the ground, and 
finding no inhabitants, but some graves of dead new buried, 
took the corn, resolvmg if ever we could hear of any thatj; 
had right thereunto, to make satisfaction to the full for it,; 
yet since we understood the owners thereof were fled for 
fear of us, our desire was either to pay them with the like 
quantity of corn, English meal, or any other commodities 
we had to pleasure them withal ; requesting him that some 
one of his men might signify so much unto them, and we 
w^ould content hhn for his pains." Now if these men were 
not honest, and careful of the rights of others, where in 
the wide world will you find those more so ? It was in this 
journey of peace and amity, in the month of June, 1621, 
under the direction of Squanto, or Tisquantum, a friendljfp 
Indian, who could speak English,! that the territory of 
the Indian Cohannet, now called Taunton, was first traversed j 

^ Note C. t Note D. 



FIRST VISIT OF ENGLISHMEN. 15 

by the feet of Englishmen.* The route of Winslo^y and 
Hopkms from Plymouth to Mount Hope lay directly through 
the town. Their accountf of the region, as it appeared to 
their view two hundred and thirty years ago, cannot fail 
to be interesting to the thousands who novf live on the bor- 
ders of the stream which they followed in its course from 
Patuxet to Mount Hope Bay. Again, two years after, 
"VYinslow repeated the journey, having for his companion 
one John Hampden, then on a visit to the colony- — desir- 
ing "much to see the country," by Dr. Belknap and others 
^supposed to have been the veritable John, who afterwards 
acted so conspicuous a part in the stirring scenes of the 
Revolution which cost not onlv Charles the First, but 
Hampden his life. There is a sad pleasure in the thought 
that he who returned to England to strike an effectual 
blow for liberty, to die in the noble attempt to obtain a 
free constitution for a land which he loved more than life, 
once roamed through the woods of ^N'emasket — forded 
these streams— rested on their banks, and made memor- 
able the spot he once stood upon in this Neio World, by 
his deeds of daring in the Old. 

What other excursions were made by whites in the di- 
rection of Taunton, or who besides savage tribes, traversed 

* Whether the Northmen in the tenth century, 500 years before Chris- 
topher Columl us "was ever heard of, left their handwriting on the " Digh- 
ton Rock," (which however at present lies in a part of Dighton, known 
as Assonet ISfeck, and included in Berkley,) is a question, which I leave 
for those who profess more learning in such matters, to settle. 

t Note E. 

% The supposition here made has been declared groundless by some. 
But it is a well ascertained fact that for the period of time which his 
absence in this country would cover, there is nothing heard or known 
of John Hampden in England. And what is more probable than that 
one of his sympathy and generous impulse should wish to make the ac- 
quaintance of kindred spirits in NcAV-England. 



16 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

its forests till 1637, we know not. Tradition sajs, there 
were adventurous, isolated settlers, as early as 1626, but 
of this we may well doubt. " For twelve years after the 
commencement of the settlement of Plj-mouth," remarks 
Mr. Eaylies, " that town constituted the whole colony." 
It was not till 1636 Satuit or Scituate was incorporated, 
and in the year following, Duxbury. The same year, 
(1637,) whilst Hooker and Stone, the ministers of New- 
town, in the Massachusetts colony, which was fast filling 
up, are on their way with their whole church and congre- 
gation to Hartford, a distance of a hundred miles, thi-ough 
a trackless wilderness, with " no guide but their compass, no 
covering but the heavens," driving before them one hundred 
and sixty cattle, and subsisting on the milk of cows ; whilst 
Davenport, Eaton and their company, finding no room in 
Salem, Charlestown, Boston or Cambridge, are preparing 
to follow and lay the foundation of New-Haven ; Dorches- 
ter, likewise, has some choice spirits, whose eye is turned 
towards Cohannet. "What renders this latter movenaent 
the more remarkable is the fact — that a ivoman led the 
way — '^ duxfoeminafacti." Winthrop calls her "a gen- 
tlewoman — an ancient maid — one Miss Poole." He 
says: — '^she went late thither, and endured much hard- 
ship and lost much- cattle." Mr. Savage, in a note on 
Winthrop, remarks : "she was probably encouraged in her 
perilous undertaking by the Rev. William Hook, who wasi 
the spiritual guide of the new settlement." That it was 
"perilous," and required no common nerve to undertake 
it will appear, if you consider that the nearest settlement 
on the east was Plymouth, at a distance of twenty-six 
miles — and in the intervening forests the Nemasket and 
Tetiquet tribes claimed dominion ; that on the west, was 



SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN. 17 



nothing but the feeble settlement of Roger "VYilliams at 
Providence ; -whilst the numerous, powerful and barbarous 
Narragansetts roamed free, ready any moment to devour ; 
that on the north, between Dorchester and Cohannet, were 
yet other tribes, as the Punkapoques and Neponsets, which 
completely shut them in from other colonists, and left them 
at the mercy of merciless men, accustomed to deeds of 
blood. She was indeed a hon-hearted lady who not only 
left England, where with ample means at her command, 
she might have enjoyed a whole lifetime a dignified ease at 
her own quiet fireside in the town of Taunton, Somerset- 
shire, but when arrived hither, coveted not the quiet- 
est, safest spot, nay, penetrated the dark, untrodden wil- 
derness, and planted a neiv church, miles from any human 
habitation. I do not see why Mr. Bayhes has not ascrib- 
ed the true motive to the " vu-gin mother" of the town, 
when he says : " It was the ardent love of religion — an 
enthusiastic desire of planting another church in the Amer- 
ican wilderness which impelled this pious Puritan lady to 
encounter all the dangers, and all the hardships of forming 
a settlement in the midst of the Indians." She was not 
alone in her feeling. The same sentiment led to the set- 
tlement of other towns in the Plymouth and Massachusetts 
colonies, to the settlement of New-Haven and Hartford. 
Thus the author of the Historical Memoir of the Colony 
6f New-Plymouth well remarks in justification of himself 
in occupying so much space with the ecclesiastical afiairs 
of the towns : " It must be recollected that Plymouth as 
well as Massachusetts was settled by churches as such, 
and in such communities, the minister or pastor is of course 
the chief personage."* 
* Hon. F. Baylies — preface to 2cl part, 2d volume of Hist. Memoir. 

2* 



'18 THE MINISTRY OF Tx\UNTON. 

Elizabeth Pool made a satisfactory purchase of the place 
— called "the Tetiquet purchase"* A confirmatory deed 
bearing date July 20, 1686, states "that Mrs. Elizabeth 
Pool, formerly of Taunton, did for and in behalf of the 
said to^Yn of Taunton purchase #ie lands of Tittiquet, in 
the year one thousand six hundred and thirty-seven, and 
that the right owners of the said lands did make sale 
thereof to the said Mrs. Elizabeth Pool as aforesaid and 
received pay of her for it." So that Mr. Baylies is right 
in saying that " she purchased her lands by giving a fair 
equivalent before occupation."! 

The first or "Tetiquet purchase "$ included the pres- 
ent towns of Taunton, Ra}mham and Berkley. In 1668 
there was an additional purchase called the JVorth Pur- 
chase, § including the present towns of Norton, Mansfield 
and Easton. In 1672 a third purchase caUed the South 
Purchase, II w^hich is now the town of Dighton. In 1680 
Assonet Neck was annexed to the town. The earlier min- 
isters of the town preached to a congregation gathered 
from these remote parts. ^ 

In the absence of church records, the loss of which we 
may well deplore, there is room for conjecture only as 
to the number and the names of the church, which in 1637 
Elizabeth Pool, under the direction of the Great Head of 
the Church, planted in this then wilderness place. The 
following notice of it from one Thomas Lechford, who vis-^ 
ited this country about that time, and on his return to 
England in 1642, published a pamphlet entitled "Plain 

* So called, because bought of the Tetiquet tribes, living on Taunton 
river. They are also called the Tittiquet and Titticut trilbes, according 
to the varying orthography of the name of the river on which they lived. 

t Note F. J Note G. § Note H. 

11 Note I. IT Note J. 



EARLIEST CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 19 

Dealing or liewea from New-England," is of no great 
worth. The writer, speaking of Taunton, sajs: "Cohan- 
net, alias, Taunton is in Plymouth patent. There is a 
church gathered of late, and some ten or twenty of the 
church. Master Hooke, Pastor, Master Street, Teacher."* 
The statement is worthless, for that Taunton was in Pfy- 
mouth patent we know ; and that Master Street was associ- 
ated with Master Hooke in the charge of the church, we 
do also know — ■ and whether ten or twenty was its original 
number, and what were their names, is just what we should 
like to know. We may rest assured however that Ehza- 
both Poolf and Richard Williams J were members ; for if 
the first was the founder, the last "may be considered the 
father of the town."§ Born in 1599, he lived till 1692 — 
during nearly an entire century. Plis family was numerous, 
and his descendants almost without number. The blood 
of a Cromwell coursed through his veins. He is pro- 
nounced by Mr. Baylies, who is a descendant of the fifth 
generation, "a rigid Puritan." I find an mteresting fact 
inserted in a note of the Historical JMemoir, which is worthy 
of a place in this connection : " When blind and deaf from 
age, he was accustomed to attend public worship, saying, 
' that although he could neither see nor hear, yet it was 
consoling to his feelings to know that he was present, while 
the people of God were at their worship.' || We may ar- 
i^ive at the names of yet others who probably constituted 
this church ui the wilderness ; for if none could be admitted 
to " the freedom of the body politic but such as were 



* Note K. t Note L. t Note M. 

§ Baylies Hist. Mem. vol. 1, p 284. 

II For this fact Mr. Baylies informs me he was indebted to Mr. Sam- 
uel Dean of East Taunton. 



20 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

church members,"* the list of freemen from Taunton 
will be in fact a list of its male church members. On 
the fourth of December, 1638, Mr. William Pool,t Mr. 
John Gilbert, Sen., J Mr. Henry Anclrews,§ John Strong, ||. 
John Dean,^ Walter Dean,** and Edward Case,f f were 
made freemen of the Plymouth Colony. Previous to 
1640, Mr. Richard Smith, William Parker, John Smith, '■ 
Mr. Thomas Farwell, Mr. David Cor withy, Mr. Hollo- 
way, Mr. Nicholas Street, Thomas Gilbert, Thomas j 
Cooke, John Richmond, Hezekiah Hoar, Richard Paull, 
Hugh Rossiter, Francis Street, John Gingell, and William 
Scadding, were freemen. J if Thus we have the names of , 
not less than twenty-four men, who doubtless belonged to I 
the original church of Taunton, and if there were as many 
women, it was certainly a goodly company to covenant to- 
gether on the banks of the Tetiquet. The precise spot 
where they built their first meeting-house — its size, and 
outward or inward aspect, who of us can tell ?§§ There 
is room here also for conjecture. We may suppose it to 
have been just where its venerable successor of the third 
generation stood. We can readily conceive of it as a ( 
plain, unadorned structure, without bell, belfry, steeple, 
or spire — a mere " log-hut" of the most moderate dimen- 

=5«= Note N. t Note O. J Note P. 

h Note Q. II Note E. T[ Note S. 

** Note T. _ tt Note U. XX Note V. 

§§ The only notice concerning the iirst meeting-house I have been 
able to find, is the following quoted by Mr. Baylies from the early Rec- i 
ords: "In 1647, the calf pasture was 'sold to Henry Andrews, for build- 1 
ing the meeting-house.'' This of course was the original meeting-house 
of the town. When it was commenced, or when finished, or any further 
particulars concerning it, I know not. ' My friend. Mr. JReed, who has 
been examining large quantities of papers left by Brigadier General 
Godfrey, has fortunately fallen upon the following notice concerning the 
second place of worship. 

"May 19, 1729. This day we began to raise the meeting-house in 



THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE. 21 

sions, and yet in the esteem of our devout, God-fearing 
fathers — "the House of GocV — sacred to His worship. 
Within its walls might have been seen gathered every 
Sabbath and in all vrcathers, no mean men, listening to 
the teachings of two of the most eminent divines ; to one 
of whom it is proposed to introduce the reader, in our 
next chapter, as the first* Taunton Idinistcr, 

Taunton"' — which paper appears to be in the hand writing of John 
Godfrev. the father of the General. It was built, as I have been in- 
formed"; by Samuel, the son of Kichard Williams, with two galleries, 
aecordinii- to the custom of the times. 

The third mccting-liouso was built in 1789, by Mr. Dcmonds of Scit- 
uatc ; is at present occupied by the Spring Street Society, and ni it are 
heavy oak timbers, v/hich were in the second, and probably in the first 
church edifice of the place. The location of the second and third, and 
proliably of the first meeting-house was not far from the beautiful sito 
of the present Unitarian stone church. 

^ Tlie floating rumor that one Francis Doughty ministered to a few 
straggling settlers before tlie settlement from Dorchester in 1637, 1 have 
not deemed it best to regard. Even Mr. Baylies, who supposes it " not 
unlikely that Doty might have assisted in religious exercises amongst 
the few original settlers of Taunton," says "V»illiam Hooke must bo 
considered the first pastor of this ancient church." 



!n 



I \ 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER ONE. 



Note A. Page 10. 

There is an admirable article on tlie early literature, and lit- 
erary men of New-England, from the pen of Mr. Baylies, near 
the closG of the first part of his Historical Memoir of Plymouth 
Colony, which I have obtained his consent to transcribe, as sup- 
plenientary to his notice of this work, and which is commended to 
the careful perusal of those, who are in the habit of depreciating 
the order of mind that was engaged in laying the foundations 
of this christian commonwealth — more particularly, of the 
primitive clergy of New-England. 

"The early literature of New-England has been unjustly de- 
preciated. The notion has been too common that the puritans, 
although pious, sober, and moral, were illiterate and ignorant. 
It is true their circumstances were unfavorable to the cultivation 
of learning. They were compelled to work on the lands for 
their daily subsistence, and not only to cultivate, but to reclaim 
them — to be watchful, as well as industrious, for they ■•■'^re 
surrounded on all sides by savages. Before 1G38, there was 
not a printing press in the American colonics. One was then 
introduced and one Daye was employed as a printer, who con- 
jfined his labors however to the printing of the freeman's oath, 
an almanack, and an edition of the New-England Psalms. In 
1639, this press passed into the hands of Samuel Green, who 
was the first permanent printer in America. 

" At this period, (1639,) the College at Cambridge (which; 
has since assumed the respectable, and now venerated name of 
Harvard,) was founded. This beginning, was made within, 
nine years from the settlement of Massachusetts. The first i\ 
grees were conferred in 1642. i 



EARLY LITERATURE OP NEW-ENGLAND. 23 

" The two first presidents of tins College were Henry Dunster, 
and Charles Chauncy, who both resided at Scituate in the col- 
ony of Plymouth. Mr. Dunster (having embraced the princi- 
ples of the Anabaptists,) although a man of learning, was dis- 
missed, and Mr. Chauncy, to whom the same objection existed, 
yet being a man of transcendant literary attainments, was ap- 
pointed his successor. It is believed however, that the peculiar 
notions of Dr. Chauncy on this subject were confined to the 
mode of admission to the church only, and did not extend to 
the withholding of the rite of baptism to infants. 

*' Mr. Smith the fiirst pastor of Plymouth, is not represented as 
having made much proficiency in literature, but his deficiencies 
being discovered, he was rejected both at Salem and Plymouth; 
but it must be recollected that during his stay at Plymouth the 
people were constant attendants on the preaching of Roger 
Williams, John Norton, and Dr. Chauncy. 

' ' Roger Williams had been educated at the university of Ox- 
ford, and was for a time a pupil of the illustrious Coke, and a 
minister of the established church in England. 

"John Lothrop, (Lathrop and Laythorp) the first minister 
both of Scituate and Barnstable, was distinguished for his learn- 
ing. He too was educated at Oxford, and is mentioned by 
Anthony Wood. Neal also represents him as a man of great 
learning. He held the living of Egerton, m Kent, which he 
abandoned and became the second pastor of the first indepen- 
dent or congregational church in England. 

"President Chauncy, the second pastor of Scituate, was emi- 
nently distinguished in England. He was educated in the 
school of Westminster, and in the university of Cambridge, 
and was the intimate friend of archbishop Usher, the first schol- 
ar in Europe. From his great knowledge of Hebrew he had 
been chosen its professor at the English university of Cam- 
bridge, and such was his accurate and critical knowledge of the 
Greek, that after he had relinquished the Hebrew professorship, 
he was chosen Greek professor at the same university. He was 
settled in the church at Ware, in England, and fell (like Loth- 



24 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

rop) under the persecution of x\.rclibishop Laud. In Latin lie 
expressed himself familiarly, with gi-eat fluency, ease, and ele- 
gance. 

"John Norton who also preached at Plymouth, was educated 
at Cambridge, (England,) and was one of the first scholars of 
that University. He was afterwards the curate of Starford, 
(Hertfordshire,) his native place. He was urged to accept a 
fellowship at the University, which he declined. He left Ply- 
mouth and was settled at Ipswich, and afterwards succeeded 
Cotton at Boston. He wrote (according to Dr. Eliot, ' in pure 
elegant Latin,') an answer to the questions propounded by 
Apollonius to the divines of New-England touching church gov- 
ernment. Fuller, in his church history, says of this : ' Of all 
the authors I have perused, none to me was more informative 
than Mr. John Norton, one of no less learning than modesty.' 
Mr. Norton was concerned in the revision of the Cambridge 
Platform. He wrote the ' Meritorious Price of rklan's Redemp- 
tion,' and also a work of great celebrity, entitled, 'The Ortho- 
dox Evangelist.' His life of Cotton was rejoublished in Eng- 
land. He also wrote a controversial tract against the Quakers, 
and a letter in Latin to Mr. Druiy who had undertaken the 
pacification of the reformed churches. 

** Ralph Partridge, the first minister of Duxbury, also received 
a University education in England, and was a minister of the 
established church there. 

" Hooke, the minister of Taunton, as a wi'iter, was far above 
mediocrity. He is spoken of by all his contemporaries as a 
learned man. His two principal works were entitled * The 
Privileges of the Saints on Earth,' and ' The Slaughter of the 
Witnesses.' His letter to Governor Winthrop is written in a 
style by no means inelegant. 

" Street, the second minister of Taunton, is always mentioned 
with respect as a man of learning. 

" ]Marmaduke Matthews, the first minister of Yarmouth, had 
some learning but was weak and eccentric. 



EARLY LITERATURE OF NEW-ENGLAND. 25 

"Governor Bradford, and Grovernor Edward Winslow, al- 
thougli not liberally educated, were authors. 

"Governor Bradford was educated to husbandry, and after- 
wards (while at Leyden) learned tlie trade of a silk dyer : yet 
he well understood the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew languages, 
particularly the last. His prose writings are above mediocrity, 
and the antiquarian will never cease to regret the loss of his 
precious manuscript history of the Plymouth colony from its 
commencement to the year 1646. He attempted poetry, but 
the muses were woo'd in vain: — his verses are prosaic, rough, 
and ineleo-ant. 

" Governor Winslow was one of the best writers in New-Eng- 
land, and his book entitled 'Good News from New-England,' is 
still read with satisfaction. 

"Samuel Fuller was an eminent and skilful physician. 
"The 'New-England's Memorial,' by Secretary Morton, al- 
though principally a compilation from Bradford's history, is still 
a standard work, and has passed through four or five editions. 
"In the enumeration of the writers and men of learning in the 
Plymouth colony, the Rev. Samuel Newman, the first minister 
of Rehoboth, deserves a place, although he did not come into 
the colony until after the termination of this period of its histo- 
ry. He arrived in New-England in 1638, and after remaining 
some time at Dorchester, removed to Weymouth, of which place 
he was an early minister, and from there he removed with many 
of his society to Seekonk, which place he called Rehoboth. He 
was educated at the university of Oxford and had been a min- 
ister of the established church in England. He was a man of 
great learning and an indefatigable student. His great work, 
the concordance of the Bible, (ihs basis of the celebrated Cam- 
bridge concordance, printed in England,) was completed at 
Rehoboth, and so intent was this learned and pious man upon 
this work, that being destitute of other lights, he wrote in the 
evenings by the light of pine knots. 

"William Morell, the Episcopalian clergyman of Gorges' set- 
tlement at Wessagusset, (afterwards Weymouth,) as early as 
3 



26 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON, 

1623, wrote a poem on New-England, in classical and elegant 
Latin. 

" Mr. Cusliman's essay or sermon on Divine Love, is a work 
of uncommon merit. Although Mr. Robinson never came to 
America, yet he deserves mention amongst the writers of the 
Plymouth colony. He was a man of uncommon argumentative 
powers, and maintained a controversy on doctrines with great 
ability against one of the most distinguished and learned profes- 
sors of the university of Leyden. His farewell sermon is an evi- 
dence not only of his ability, but of a liberality far transcending 
the bigotry of the age and would do no discredit to these tiiiio.'. 

"Brewster, a man of no pretensions, but a good scholar, \v;V' 
well versed in the ancient languages, and was educated at one 
of the English Universities. 

"Governor Prence, although illiterate himself, cherished a 
deep respect for learning and learned men. 

"In Massachusetts, Wilson, the grand nephew of Grindal, 
archbishop of Canterbury, and first pastor of the Boston church; 
— Cotton, the first teacher of the same church; — Higginson, 
the first teacher at Salem ; — Hugh Peters, the second pastor of 
Salem ; — John Eliot, the first teacher of the church at Rox- 
bury ; — Hooker, the first pastor of the churches at Cambridge 
and Hartford in Connecticut, and the founder of Hartford ; — i 
Sherman, an early minister at "Watertown; — Bulkley, the first 
minister of Concord; — Allen, an early minister of Charles- 
town; — Nathaniel Rogers, the first pastor of the church at Ips- 
wich; — Symmes, another pastor of Charlestown; — Nathaniel 
Ward, author of the Simple Cobbler of Agawam and a pastor 
of the church at Ipswich, had all been educated at the English 
university at Cambridge. Some of them had been fellows and 
professors, and nearly all, ministers of the established church. 

"Richard Mather, an early minister of Dorchester, Thomas 
Cobbet another pastor of the church in Ipswich, and John Dav- 
enport the first minister of New-Haven, and afterwards the suc- 
cessor of Norton at Boston, had all been educated at the Uni- 
versity of Oxford. 



EARLY LITER ATUHE OF NEW-EXGLAND. 27 



"Skelton, the first pastor of the Salem church, had been a 
clergyman of the established church in Lincolnshire. Mr. 
Weld of Roxbury, and George Phillips the first pastor of the 
church at Watertown, had also been clergyman of the establish- 
ed church in England. 

"Thomas Parker, the first pastor of the Newbury church, had 
been educated at Dublin under the care of Archbishop Usher. 
He spoke Grreek, Latin, and Hebrew, as familiarly as English. 
James Noyes, the first teacher of that church; — John Allen 
the first minister of Dedham, and William Thompson the min- 
ister of Braintree, were all excellent scholars. Ezekiel Rogers 
the first pastor of the church at Rowley, was a man of consid- 
erable Icarnino-. 

"Ezekiel Cheever, a schoolmaster in Boston, was a distinguish- 
ed Latin scholar. 

" Theophilus Eaton, the first governor of New-Haven, although 
a merchant, was a good scholar. 

" Giles Firmin, the ejected minister of Stratford, (in England,) 
was educated at Cambridge, and was eminent for his learning. 
In New-England, he was known as a consummate physician, 
but held no ministerial ofiice. 

"John Fisk, also, a physician and a preacher, was educated 
at Emanuel College, (Cambridge,) and ejected from his living 
in England. 

''Edward Norris, who preceded Hugh Peters at Salem, was a 
political writer of great celebrity. 

"William Torrey, of Weymouth, was a distinguished scholar 
and an author. 

"William Pynchon, the founder both of Roxbury and Spring- 
field, was a man of extraordinary learning. 

"To these may be added John Winthrop, the governor of Mas- 
sachusetts, an able lawyer and jurist, and as a writer far above 
mediocrity. Sir Henry Yane, although a fanatic, was a man 
of learning, and fond of learning. 

"John Winthrop, jun., an early governor of Connecticut, was 
one of the founders of the Royal Society, and one of the first 



I 



28 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

pliilosopbers of tho age : — he was the friend and correspondent 
of Boyle and Bishop Wilkins. 

"To this catalogue may be added the names of several others. 

"The period during which these illustrious men flourished, ex- 
tends from 1620 to 1640. Plymouth had been settled twenty 
years, Massachusetts eleven, and New-Haven and Connecticut 
two or three. The whole population of these colonies in 1640, 
probably did not exceed six or eight thousand souls. Yet, where 
in an equal promiscuous population, at that period, could have 
been found so many men, distinguished for literature and of leara- 
ed educations ? It is true that their writings and teachings were 
generally on subjects of polemic divinity, but amongst them 
were those who had attended to the sciences, sound mathemati- 
cians, astronomers and learned physicians. Their poetry par- 
took of the faults of the age, the faults of Covv^ley and all that 
class of poets denominated by Dr. Johnson, metaphysical; it 
was harsh, quaint, full of conceits, allegorical and pedantic ; 
but it must be recollected that this was at a period long before 
the era of Dryden and Pope, who, first taught their countrymen 
the art of harmonizing English verso. Dramatic poetry, which 
alone redeems the taste of the English nation at that period, was 
held in utter abomination by the puritans ; and that delightful 
department which fictitious works in prose have now naturalized 
in English literature, had not been explored or even dreamed 
.of. The style of historical writing was equal to the home stand- 
ard. 

"As classical scholars, our pilgrim fathers have found no rivals 
amongst us, even in modern times : — they were familiar with 
the Latin and Greek, and all the clergy wrote those languages 
with ease and elegance and spoke them fluently, and in the He- 
brew they were profound critics. 

"In controversial divinity, logic, and metaphysics, they were 
unrivalled, and it is to be lamented that such prodigious mtel- 
lectual powers were wasted in the discussion of some mystic 
point in theology, now uninteresting, and always unimportant, 

" Upon the whole, when we compare our classical acquirements 



MEN OF THE MAYFLOWER. 



29 



with those of our forefathers, we have no reason to be proud. 
Few can be found at this day in this great nation, who are the 
equals of Chauney, Wilson, Cotton, Hooker, Bulkley, Parker, 
Lothrop, Norton, or Rogers. 

*' Devoted as these great men were to the cause of learning, 
there was one benefactor to that cause deserving of more grati- 
tude than either, and he was John Harvard, an early minister 
of Charlestown, who by bequeathing in his will nearly eight 
hundred pounds to found a college, established that venerable 
university which now perpetuates his name." 



Note. B. 



Page 13. 



" There were just 101," remarks Mr. Prince in his New- 
England Chronology, page 85, " who sailed from Plymouth in 
England, and just as many arrived at Cape Cod Harbor." One 
individual died on the passage, and one was born who was nam- 
ed Oceanus. Mr. Prince, who had access to Grov. Bradford's 
folio manuscript, and is generally regarded as the most accurate 
of compilers, has given a corrected list of the forty-one signers of 
the compact entered into on board the Mayflower with their titles 
and the number in their respective families. His catalogue is 
here inserted, with the hope of still more indelibly impressing 
their names upon the memory and of embalming their rare virtue 
in the heart of a grateful posterity. 

Governor Bradford, as Mr. Prince observes, modestly omits 
the title of Mr. to his own name, which he ascribes to^ several 
others. The names in italics indicate those who died before the 
end of March, 1621. 



Mr. John Carver, 8 

William Bradford, .... 2 

Mr. Edward Winslow, 5 

Mr. William Brewster, .... 6 

Mr. Isaac Allerton, 6 

Capt. Miles Standish, .... 2 
John Alden, 1 

3* 



John Turner 3 

Francis Eaton, 3 

Mr. James Chilton, 3 

Johii Crackston, 2 

John Billington, 4 

Moses Fletcher, 1 

John Goodman 1 



30 



THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Mr. Samuel Fuller, 2 

Mr. CJiristopher Martin,. .4 
Mr. William Mullins, .... 5 

Mr. William White, 5 

Mr. Richard Warren, 1 

John Howlancl,* 
Mr. Stephen Hopkins, .... 8 

Edward Tilly, 4 

John Tilly, 3 

Francis Cook, 2 

Thomas Rogers, 2 

Thomas Tinker, 3 

John Ridgdale, 2 

Edward Fidler, 3 



Degory Priest, 1 

Thomas Williams, ... 1 
GUlbert Winslow, .... 1 
Edmund Margeson, . . 1 

Peter Brown, 1 

Richard Butteridge, . . 1 

George Soule,t 

Richard Clarke, .... 1 
Richard Gardiner, ... 1 

John Allerton, 1 

Thomas English, .... 1 

Edward Dotey, j 

Edward Leister, j. . . , 



101 



Note C. Page 14. 

In Morton's New-England Memorial, page 54, we find the 
following summary of what has well been called " a league of 
friendship ' ' between Massasoit and the English : 

" I. That neither he nor any of his, should injure or do hurt 
to any of their people. 

II. That if any of his did any hurt to any of theirs, he should 
send the offender that they might punish them. 

III. That if anything were taken away from any of theirs, 
he should cause it to be restored, and they should do the like to 
his. 

IV. That if any did unjustly war against him, they would 
aid him ; and if any did war against them, he should aid them. 

V. That he should send to his neighbor confederates, to in- 
form them of this, that they might not wrong them, but might 
be likewise comprised in the conditions of peace. 

* Howlatid was of Gov. Carver's family. 

t Soule was of Gov. Winslow's family. 

X Both of Stephen Hopkins' family servants. 



THE "LEAGUE OF FRIENDSHIP." 31 

YI. That when his men came to them upon any occasion, 
they should leave their arms, (which were then bows and ar- 
rows,) behind them. 

VII. Lastly, that so doing, their Sovereign Lord, King 
James, would esteem him as his friend and ally. 

All of which he liked well, and withal at the same time ac- 
knowledge himself content to become the subject of our Sover- 
eign Lord, the King aforesaid, his heirs and successors, and 
gave unto them all the lands adjacent, to them and their heirs 
forever. ' ' 

A similar abstract of the treaty is given in '' Mourt's rela- 
tion," p. 62, — with a slight variation in the third and sixth 
articles. In the third article, according to Mourt, the security 
of the English relates simply to their " tooles," and in the sixth 
article, a just reciprocity is recognized, by providing that the 
English should leave their " peaces" behind them in their inter- 
view with the Indians. He also states that not only the King 
Massasoit liked the treaty well, but "it was applauded of his 
followers." The interview was opened and closed, he is care- 
ful to inform us, by a most cordial embrace — "our Governor 
kissing his hand, whilst the King kissed him." "The condi- 
tions of this treaty," remarks Mr. Baylies, " were faithfully ob- 
served for a period of fifty-five years, exhibiting an instance of 
unexampled good faith, fidelity and honesty in both parties."* 

Note D. Page 14. 

TriE existence of such a friendly Indian as Squanto, who was 
also well fitted in the Providence of God to act the part of an 
interpreter, is only one of the many remarkable instances of the 
Divine interposition in behalf of our fathers. In Morton's New- 
England Memorial, pp. 55, 56, we find the following testimony 
in his favor, and notice of his preparation for the work which was 
assigned him in the settlement of this country. 

* Memoir of Plymouth Colony, vol. 1, page 67. 



32 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

" Squanto continued witli them (the English,) and was their 
interpreter, and proved a special instrument sent of God for their 
good, beyond expectation. He directed them in planting their 
corn, where to take their fish, and to procure their commodities ; 
and also was their pilot to bring them to unknown ^jlaces for 
their profit, and never left them until his death. He was a na- 
tive of this place where Plimouth is, and scarce any left Jjesides 
himself. He was carried away, (with divers others,) by one 
named Hunt, a master of a ship, who thought to sell them for 
slaves in Spain, but he got away for England, and was enter- 
tained by a merchant in London, and employed to Newfound- 
land and other parts ; and at last brought hither into these 
parts by one Mr. Dernier, a gentleman employed by Sir Fer- 
nando Gorges and others for discovery and other designs." 

This Hunt, as we learn from other sources, commanded one 
of the ships with which Captain Smith came to New-England in 
1614, on a voyage of discovery and of trade. Smith being 
obliged to return to England in July, Hunt was left to com- 
plete his cargo, and retiu*n home by the way of Spain. lu 
what a portion of his cargo consisted, has already been observed. 
Prince says : (Chron. p. 40,) " he gets twenty Indians on 
board him at Patuxit, (Plymouth,) one of whom is called 
Squanto, and seven more at Nausit, (Eastham.)" "Like a 
wicked varlet," says Hubbard, "he decoyed them." Mourt 
adds — "he sold them for slaves, like a wretched man, (for 
twentie jDOund a man,) that care not what mischiefe he doth for 
his profit." Smith reprobated the conduct of Hunt on this 
wise: "Notwithstanding, after my departure, hee abused the 
salvages where hee came, and betrayed twenty seauen of these 
poor innocent soules which hee sold in Spain for slaves, to moove 
their hate against our nation, as well as to cause my proceedings 
to be so much the more difiicult." Many of these captives 
were rescued from slavery through the kind interposition of some 
monks in Malaga. Squanto is supposed to have been one of 
these more fortunate captives. Finding his way to England, he 
entered the employ of a London merchant by the name of Sla- 



SQUANTO'S FRIENDSHIP. 33 

ney, and became strongly attached to the English, notwithstand- 
ing his unfortunate introduction to one of their number. Mr. 

I Dermer who returned Squanto to Patuxit in June of the very 

year the Pilgrims landed, confesses that the savages would have 

killed him, " had he (Squanto,) not entreated hard" for him. 

In this connection an additional token of the Divine regard 

for our fathers may be noticed. In would seem, Capt. Smith 

1 had set his heart on planting a colony in New-England. He 
was greatly charmed with the locality. He thus expresses him- 
self, " of all the foure parts of the world I have yet seen, not 
inhabited, could I have but means to transport a colony, I would 

i rather live here than anywhere." Twice in a single year, 
(1615) he left England with this object in view. In the first 
instance he lost his masts, and was obliged to put back. Again, 
leaving with a single ship, he was captured by a French man of 
war, and of course abandoned his undertaking. If he had 
succeeded in his purpose, being a man with mere worldly aims, 
how had it given an entirely different complexion to Xew-Eng- 
land character ! 

God had reserved this land, as the event proved, for a relig- 
ious plantation. 

Note E. Page 15. 

"With presents and message we set forward the tenth lune, 
about 9. a clocke in the Morning, our guide resolving that night 
■ to rest at Namaschet* a towne vnder Massasoyt, and conceived 
! by vs to bee very neere, because the Inhabitants flocked so 
thicke vpon every slight occasion amongst vs : but wee found 
it to bee some fifteene English myles. On the way we found 
some ten or twelue men women and children, which had pester- 
ed vs till wee were wearie of them, perceiving that (as the man- 
ner of them all is) where victuall is easiliest to be got, there 
they Hue, especially in the Summer : by reason whereof our 
Bay affording many Lobsters, they resort every spring tide 
thither : & now returned with vs to Namaschet. Thither we 

* Middleboro'. ~' 



34 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

came about 3. a clock after noone, the Inhabitants entertaining 
vs with ioy, in the best manner they could giving vs a kinde of 
bread called by them Maizium, and the spawne of Shads, which 
then they got in abundance, in so much as they gaue vs spoones 
to eate them., with these they boyled mustie Acorns, but of the 
Shads we eate heartily. After this they desired one of our 
men to shoote at a Crow, complaining what damage they sus- 
tained in their Corne by them, who shooting some fourscore off 
and killing, they much admired it, as other shots on other oc- 
casions. After this Tisquantum told vs we should hardly in 
one day reach PaJcanoMck, moving vs to goe some 8. myles 
further, where we should finde more store and better victuals 
then there : Being willing to hasten our lourney we went, and 
came thither at Sunne setting, where we found many of the 
NamascheucTcs (they so calling the men of Namaschet) fishing 
vppon a "Ware* which they made on a Rivert which belonged 
to them, where they caught abundance of Basse. These wel- 
commed vs also, gaue vs of their fish, and we them of our vict- 
uals, not doubting but we should haue enough where ere we 
came. There we lodged in the open fieldes : for houses they 
spent the most of the Summer there. The head of this River 
is reported to bee not farre from the place of our abode ; vpon 
it are, and have been many Townes, it being a good length. 
The ground is very good on both sides, it being for the most 
part cleered : Thousands of men have lived there, which dyed 
in a great plague not long since : and pitty it was and is to see, 
so many goodly fieldes, & so well seated, without men to dresse 
and manure the same. Vppon this River dwelleth Massasoyt: 
It commeth into the Sea at the Narrohiganset Bay, where the 
Frenchmen so much vse. A shipp may goe many myles vp it, as 
the Salvages report, and a shallop to the head of it : but so farre 
as wee saw, wee are sure a Shallop may. 

^- " At Titicut, on Taunton river, in the n. w. part of Middlcboro' is 
a noted place, which was formerly called the old Indian Wear. Though 
other wears have been erected on Taunton x'iver, yet tliis is probably tho 
place intended." — Mass. Hist. Coll. viii. 2.33 note. 

t The Indian Titicut or Tetiquet — now called Taunton river. 



WINSLOW AND HOPKINS IN TAUNTON. 35 

But to return to our lourney : The next morning wee brake 
our fast tooke our Icaue and departed, being tlien accompanied 
with some sixe Salvages, having gone about sixe myles by thee 
River side, at a knowne shole place,* it beeing low water, they 
spake to'^vs to put off our breeches, for wee must wade thorow. 
Heere let me not forget the vallour and courrage of some of the 
Salvages, on the opposite side of the river, for there were re- 
maining aliue only 2. men, both aged, especially the one being 
aboue threescore ; These two espying a company of men entring 
the River, ran very swiftly & low in the grasse to meete vs at 
the banck, where shrill voyees and great courage standing 
charged vj^on vs with their bowes, they demaunded what we 
were, supposing vs to be enemies, and thinking to take advan- 
tage on vs in the water : but seeing we were friends, they wel- 
coramed vs with such foode as they had, and we bestowed a 
small bracelet of Beades on them. Thus farre wee are sure the 
Tide ebs and flowes. 

Having heere againe refreshed our selves, we proceeded in 
GUI- lourney, the weather being very bote for travell, yet the 
Country so well watered that a man could scarce be drie, but he 
should haue a spring at hand to coole his thirst, beside smal 
Rivers in abundance : But the Salvages will not willingly drinke 
but at a spring head. When wee came to any small Brooke 
where no bridge was, two of them desired to carry vs through 
of their own accords, also fearing wee were or would be weary, 
offered to carry our peeces, also if we would lay off any of our 
clothes, we should haue them carried : and as the one had found 
more speciall kindnesse from one of the Messengers, and the 
other Salvage from the other, so they showed their thankeful- 
nesse accordingly in affording vs all helpe, and furtherance in 
the lourney. 

As we passed along, we observed that there were few places 
by the River, but had beene inhabited, by reason whereof much 
ground was cleare, saue of weedes which grewe higher then our 

=* Near the Iron Works on the Taunton river, at the village called 
Squawbetty, foiu' miles from the Green. 



36 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

heads. There is much good Tunber, both Oake, Waltnut-tree, 
FnTe, Beech, and exceeding great Chessniit-trees. The Coun- 
try in respect of the lying of it, is both Champanie and hilly, 
like many places in England. In some places its very rockie 
both aboue ground and in it : and though the Counterey be 
wilde and over-growne with woods, yet the trees stand not thicke, 
but a man may well ride a horse amongst them. 

Passing on at lengih, one of the Company an Indian espied 
a man, and told the rest of it, we asked them if they feared 
any, they told vs that if they were Narrohigganset men they 
would not trust them, whereat we called for our peeces and bid 
them not to feare ; for though they were twenty, we two alone 
would not care for them : but they hay ling him, he prooved a 
friend, and had onely two women with him : their baskets were 
empty, but they fetched water in their bottels, so that we dranke 
with them and departed. After we met another man with other 
two women, which had beene at Randevow by the salt water, 
and their baskets were full of rested Crab fishes, and other 
dryed shell fish, of which they gaue vs, and wee eate and dranke 
with them : and gaue each of the women a string of Beades, 
and departed. 

After wee came to a Towne of Massasoyts, where we eat 
Oysters and other fish. From thence we went to PacTcanohich.''^ 

Note F. Page 18. 

I AM sorry to be obliged to call in question the additional ' 
statement of Mr. Baylies, in his valuable Historical Memoir, 
that " Miss Poole was the first of the English who practically 
admitted the force of that moral obligation which requires the 
consent of the owner before property can be taken from his pos- 
session and appropriated to the use of another." Whilst I ad- ^ 
mire the profound veneration which the esteemed author of that i 
Memoir appears to cherish for the memory of one in whose i 
"code of ethics religion and justice were inseparable," I at j 
the same time believe there were others as well as she, who *> 
" had not yet admitted the lawfulness of despoiling the heathen." ' 



FIRST AND ANCIENT PURCHASERS, 



37 



It was tlie purpose not only of one, but of all the original set- 
tlers to make a satisfactory purchase of their lands. Other 
towns as well as Taunton were obtained by as fair an equivalent 
as '^ a peck of beans, ^'' the precise consideration which in that 
period of our history, tradition asserts, satisfied the Aborigines 
of this part of the country. That the English, whom the May- 
flower brouglit, had no desire to rob even the Indian of his 
rights, or to appropriate another's property to their own use, is 
manifest, as has been in another connection remarked, from the 
concern they had about the corn they found at Paomet, and the 
measures taken to restore it, 

Note Q. Page 18. 
The names of the first and ancient purchasers are registered 



in the followino; order : 



Henry Uxley, . . . , 8 

Kichard Williams, 12 

Joseph Wilson, ......... 8 

Benjamin Wilson, ...... 8 

William Coy, 8 

George Hall, 12 

David Corwithy, 12 

Mr. William Pool, . .....12 

George Macy, 8 

William Harvey, 8 

Hezekiah Hoar, 8 

Walter Deane, 12 

John Deane, 12 

John Strong, 12 

Henry Andrews, 12 

Thomas Cooke, 6 

John Smith, 12 

Mr. Thomas Farwell, .. . .12 

Edward Case, 8 

4 



William Phillips, 8 

William Hailstone, 8 

William Parker, 12 

John Parker, 8 

John Richmond, . , G 

AVilliam Holloway, 12 

The Widow Randall, 

Francis Doty, 12 

William Dunn, 8 

William Scadding, ...... 12 

John Dryant, , . , G 

Anthony Slocum, 8 

John Gengille, ..8 

Francis Street, 8 

Hugh Rossiter, . 8 

John Gilbert, .12 

Thomas Gilbert, . 12 

Robert Hobell, . 6 

Richard Burt. S 



38 



THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 



Jolin Kingsley, 12 

Richard Paull, 6 

Richard Smith, 12 

Mr. John Gilbert, 12 

Note H, 



John Grossman, G 

John Luther, 6 

fJohn Drake, 12 

Mr. John Brown, 

Pa2:e 18. 



The consideration paid the Court for this land was £100. The 
persons empowered in the grant made to hold it, were as follows: 



Richard Williams, 
"Walter Dean, 
George Macy, 
James Walker, 
Joseph Wilbore, 
William Harvey, 
Thomas Leonard, 
John Turner, 
Henry Andrew, 
John Cobb, 
George Hall, 
John Hall, 
Samuel Hall, 
'James Leonard, Senior, 
Nathaniel Williams, 
Thomas Williams, 
Nicholas White, Senior, 
Nicholas White, Junior, 
Hezekiah Hoar, 
Alice Dean, 
Robert Crossman, 
John Tisdall, Senior, 
John Tisdall, Junior, 
James Phillips, 
Edward Babbitt. 
John Hatheway, 



Shadrach Wilbore, 

Thomas Caswell, 

John Macomber, 

John Smith, 

Edward Rue, 

John Parker, 

Samuel Paul, 

Thomas Linkoln, Senior, 

Thomas Harvey, the Elder, 

Nathaniel Thayer, 

Thomas Linkoln, Junior, 

Peter Pitts, 

Jonah Austin, Senior, 

John Richmond, 

Samuel Williams, 

Christopher Thresher, 

Mistress Jane Gilbert, 

George Watson, 

Samuel Smith, 

James Burt, 

Richard Burt, 

Jonathan Briggs, 

Increase Robinson, 

John Bryant, 

Thomas Harvey, Junior, 

Mr. George Shove.* 



* I^ame entered on the margin in 1682. 



tERRITORIAL INCREASE OF TAUNTOX. 



39 



Note I. Page 18. 

This purchase was made of Sacliem Philip for £143, beino- 
four miles square. The purchasers were the same as of the north 
Purchase, with the exception of John Cobb, Greorge Hall, 
Alice Dean, John Parker, Samuel Paul, Jonah Austin, Senior, 
Mistress Jane Gilbert, and John Bryant — with the addition of 



William Brenton, Esq^uire, 

Giles Gilbert, 

John Deane, 

Aaron Kiaapp, 

Thomas Gilbert, 

John Pool, 

: William Wetherell, 

1 Henry Andrews, Junior, 

I Samuel Pitts, 

iKobert Thornton, 

IThomas Beane, 

I Joseph Williams, 

I James Tisdili, 

[Israel Deane, 

I Francis Smith, 

Jonah Austin, Junior, 

Richard Stacy, 

John Hodges, 

William Paul, 

Samuel Holloway, 

Note J. 



Malachi Holloway, 

Esther Galup^ 

Joseph Hall, 

Mary Street, 

Isaac Deane, 

Ezra Deane, 

James Walker, Junior, 

Peter Walker, 

Israel Thresher, 

Samuel Macy, 

Jarcd Talbot, 

James Leonard, Junior, 

John Lincoln, 

Richard Stephens, 

William Wetherell, Junior, 

Richard Brio-ors, 

John Smith, Junior, 

Thomas Amesbury, 

John Macomber, 

Joseph Willis- 

Paffe 18. 



The most sanguine of our fathers would have been slow to 
believe that the aspect of things could so far change in the 
course of one or two centuries. It may be interesting to note 
its progress as indicated by the following facts : 

Taunton was incorporated in. 1639 



40 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON", 

Norton was mcorporated in » 1711 

Digbton. /'...." " 1712 

Easton.. ." '' " ^ 1725 

Eaynliam." " " 1731 

Berkley. J' " " 1735 

Mansfield," . . , " " 1770 

The date of incorporation of tliese several towns, wWeli con- 
stituted a part of the original Taunton^ indicates for the mosfe 
part the period when separate church organizations began to 
exist therein. Whilst within the limits of the present town of 
Taunton, (if we except occasional Episcopal services in the 
westerly part of the town,) there was only one meeting-house, 
one meeting and one minister, till nearly the close of the pre- 
ceding century ; the last half century has witnessed an increase 
from one to thirteen meeting-houses, with as many churches and 
ministers, in Taunton p-oper, and nearly forty of the same, > 
including all the territory within its original limits. 

Note K. Page 19. 

The whole of the notice in Lechford's pamphlet under date 
of Jan. 17, 1641, is in the following terms: '■'There is a 
church gathered of late, and some ten or twenty of the church, 
the rest excluded, Master IXooke, Pastor, Master Street, Teach- j 
er. Master Ilooke received ordination from the hands of one 
Master Bishop, a schoolmaster, and one Parker, a husbandman, 
and then Master Ilooke joyned in ordaining Master Street. 
One Master Doughty, a minister, opposed the gathering of the 
church there, alleging that according to the covenant of Abra- 
ham, all men's children that were of baptized parents, and ' 
so Abraham's children, ought to be baptized ; and spake so in 
publique, or to that effect, which was held a disturbance, and , 
the ministers spake to the magistrate to order him ; the magis- 
trate commanded the constable, who dragged Master Doughty 
out of the assembly. He was forced to go away from thence • 
with his wife and children." — Plain Dealing, or Newes from 



THE FIRST SCHOOLMASTER. 41 

New-England ; by Tkomas Lecliford of Clement Inne, in the 
county of MidiUcsex — Gent. 1641, pp. 40, 41. 

Thomas Lechford was not an hnpartial witness of proceedings 
in the infant Plymouth colony. He came hither with all the 
prejudices of the mother country, and it is sufficient to say that 
his printed observations are equally reliable with those of some 
modern tourists from the same country. One might infer from the 
above statement that "schoolmaster Bishop, and husbandman 
Parker ' ' were the only officiating persons at the ordination of 
Master Hooke ; whereas, if we may credit a statement of the 
same Lechford on page 54, *' Master Wilson, Master Mather 
and some others going to the ordination of Master Hooke and 
Master Street to give them the right hand of fellowship at New- 
Taunton, there heard the difference between Master Hooke and 
Master Doughty, where Master Doughty was overruled, and the 
matter carried somewhat partially, as is reported." It is need- 
less to say that the presence of Rev. John Wilson of Boston, 
and Rev. Richard Mather, of Dorchester, and ''some others" of 
their type, is an abundant assurance that all things were done 
'* in decency and in order" — that Master Doughty, whoever he 
was, and however served, was not very unrighteously dealt with, 
the report which reached Mr. Lechford's ears to the contrary 
notwithstanding. Concerning the regularity of Hooke's ordi- 
nation, Mr. Baylies remarks : " there can be no doubt, as Wil- 
son of Boston, and Richard Mather of Dorchester, both illus- 
trious men and lights of the church, assisted." — Memoir of 
Plymouth Colony, vol. 1, p. 291. 

There is a fact incidentally stated by Lechford, which, if we 
can credit it, is of consequence to posterity. He makes honor- 
able mention of "Master Bishop, a schoolmaster." This 
** Master Bishop " must have been the first Taunton "school- 
master." It is not improbable that whilst "Brother Philemon 
Purmont," according to the Boston Records, "was entreated to 
become scholemaster for the teaching and nowtering of children 
in that place," and in 1635 accepted the high trust committed 
.0 him ; whilst in New-Haven also. Master Ezekiel Chaever, 
4* 



42 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



three years later, was called to the like work, with which after ^ 
"a skillful, painful, faithful" experience of more than seventy 
years, he expresses himself, in a letter to Sir Edmund Andross, J 
"yet delighted," it is more than probable that the " schoolmas- ' 
ter Bishop " about the same time was inducted into office in the 
town of Cohannet. The meeting-house and the school-house — the | 
jninister and the schoolmaster made their appearance in the infant 
settlement together. 

Note L. Page 19. 

Mrs. Pool died in the town which her enterprise had founded, 
in 1654. She was buried near her house, a few rods south of 
the eastern extremity of Main Street. Her remains were re- 
moved to the burial place on the Plain, in 1771, where slightly 
elevated above the surface of the ground may be seen a simple 
slab, bearing the following inscription, written, as we are in- 
formed, by Hon. Robert Treat Paine, a distinguished citizen of 
Taunton, one of the immortal signers of the Declaration of 
American Independence. 

"Here rest the remains i 

of Miss Elizabeth Pool, 1 

a native of Old England, 
of good Family, Friends, and Prospects, 
All Avhich she left, in the Prime of her Life, i 

to enjoy the Eeligion of her Conscience ! 

in this distant wilderness ; 
A great Proprietor in the Township 

of Taunton; 
A chief Promoter of its Settlement, 
and its Incorporation, 1639-40, 
about which time she Settled near this spot 
And, having employed the opportunity 

of her Virgin state, . 

in Piety, Liberality, j 

and Sanctity of manners, 



ELIZABETH POOL. RICHARD WILLIAMS. 43 

Died, May 21, a. d. 1654, aged lxv. 

To whose memory, 

this Monument is gratefully erected 

by her next of kin, 

John Borland, Esq., 

A. D. 1771." 

The Ladies of Taunton have erected a costlier monument to 
the memory of this remarkable woman, at the entrance of the 
delightful rural cemetery, known as Mount Pleasant, which 
adorns the town. It bears the following inscription : 

* * The Females of Taunton 

have erected this monument 

in honor of 

Elizabeth Pool, 

Foundress 

of the town of Taunton 

in 1637. 

Born before the settlement 

of America, 

in England, 1589, 

died at Taunton, 

May 21, 1654." 

Note M. Page 19. 

There is a mss. of considerable antiquity in possession of my 
esteemed antiquarian friend, Mr. Edgar H. Reed, of Taunton, 
which furnishes the following facts concerning llichard Williams. 
He "was one of the eighty purchasers of the tract of land, 
bought of the Indians, called the Cohannet Indians, the said 
tract of land being called the eight mile square, and received 
the name of Taunton at the time of incorporation, a. d. 1640. 
llichard Williams married Frances Dighton, sister of Catharine 
Dighton, who was married to Grovernor Thomas Dudley ; the 
said Catharine Dighton being the mother of Governor Joseph 
Dudley, and grandmother of Paul Dudley, Esq., one of the 



44 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Judges of the Circuit. Richard Williams was descended from 
a family of that name in Grlamorganshire, in Wales, and found a 
wife in Gloucestershhe, England. 

The children of Eichard Williams, of Taunton, and Frances 
his wife : 

1. John; 2. Samuel; 3. Joseph; 4. Nathaniel; 5. Thom- 
as; 6. Benjamin;?. Elizabeth; 8. Hannah. 

The following facts with regard to the children and the grand- 
children of Richard Williams, are derived in part from that 
indefatigable genealogist, Wm. R. Deane, Esq., of Boston, who 
has prepared valuable genealogical memoirs of the Deane, and 
of the Leonard families. 

I. John. — Of him nothing is known. 

II. Samuel, married Jane Gilbert ; their children, 

(1) Mary, married Henry Andrews, of Taunton. 

(2) Sarah, married Benjamin Deane, of Taunton. 

(3) Hannah, born about 1670, died June 20, 1708, aged 
38, married Samuel Burns, of Taunton. 

(4) Seth, b. about 1676, mar. Mary Deane, and d. May 13, 
1761, in his 86th year. 

(5) Samuel, b. about 1680, d. April 17, 1765, in 86th year, 
mar. Abigail , who d. Feb. 23, 1779, in her 94th year. 

(6) Daniel, b. about 1982, d. Sept. 7, 1735, mar. Mercy 
Deane. 

III. Joseph, died Aug. 17, 1692, mar. Elizabeth , 

children : 

(1) Elizabeth, b. July 30, 1669, drowned, Oct. 13, 1688. 

(2) Richard, b. Nov. 26, 1671, d. July 13, 1688. 

(3) Mehitabel, b. June 7, 1676, mar. Increase Robinson of 
Taunton. 

(4) Joseph, b. Feb. 13, 1678. 

(5) Benjamin, b. Oct. 15, 1681, d. Jan. 10, 1757, aged 
75 ; mar. Elizabeth Deane. 

(6) Ebenezer, b. April 21, 1685. 



DESCEND AXTS OF EICHARD AULLIAMS. 



(7) Pliebe, b. Sept. 25, 1G87, mar. Cliristoplier Richmond, 
)f Middleboro'. 

(8) Ricliard, b. March 26, 1689. 

IV. Natlianiel, mar. Nov. 17, 1668, Elizabeth Rogers, of 
Duxbury, and had children. 

(1) John, b. Aug. 27, 1675. 

(2) Nathaniel, b. April 9, 1679. 

(3) Elizabeth, b. April 18, 1686, mar. John Macomber, 
of Taunton. 

V. 'Thomas, wife Mary — their children : 

(1) Mary, b. 1680, mar. Ebenezer Robinson, of Raynham. 

(2) Jonathan, b. 1683, d. April 7, 1761, in 78th year of 
ac:e ; mar. Eliz. Leonard. 

(3) Sarah, b. 1685, mar. James Hall, of Raynham. 

(4) Macy, b. 1687. 

(5) Hannah, b. 1689, mar. Joseph Snoll, of Bridgewater. 

(6) Bethiah, b. 1692, mar. Major Joseph Hodges, of Norton. 

(7) Mehitabel, b. 1695, mar. Rev. Benjamin Webb, of 
Eastham. 

(8) Damaris, b. 1698, miirried 1724, Daniel Howard, of 
Bridgewater. 

VI. Benjamin, mar. March 18, 1689-90, Rebecca Macy — 
children : 

(1) Rebecca, b. Nov. 27, 1690, mar. 1. Samuel Pitts; 2. 
James Williams, both of Taunton. 

(2) Josiah, b. Nov. 7, 1692, mar. Martha Howard. 

(3) Benjamin, b. July 31, 1695. 

(4) John, b. March 27, 1699. 

VII. Elizabeth, b. about 1647, d. 1724, aged 77, married 
John Bird, of Dorchester, b. 1641, d. 1732. 

VIII. Hannah, mar.- John Parmenter, of Boston. 

Mr. Baylies is of the opinion Richard Williams was related 
to Oliver Cromwell, one of whose ancestors bore that name, and 



46 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

Williams was also tlie family name, until it was exchanged for 
an estate. Richard Williams was a deputy from Taunton to 
Plymouth in 1646, 1648, 1650, 1651, and several succeeding 
years. His name is at the head of the list both of those who 
made the South, and of those who made the North Purchase. 
Everything indicates that he was the Patriarch of the Planta- 
tion. In one of the letters of Pioger Williams to the town of 
Providence, he alludes to his "brother," who had gent a paper 
of some kind for the consideration of the people, which required 
an answer. With reference to this expression, Mr. Baylies 
raises the query : "Does he mean his Christian brother or his 
natural brother ? If his natural brother, was it Richard Wil- 
liams of Taunton ?"* From which may be inferred the opinion 
of Mr. B. that Richard Williams of Taunton, and Roger Wil- 
liams of Providence, were brothers. 

Note N. Page 20. 

At the first Court of Election in Massachusetts, May 18, 
1631, " that the body of the Commons might be preserved of 
good and honest men," it was ordered, that from that time, no 
persons be admitted to the freedom of the body politic, but such 
as were members of some of the churches within its limits. [See 
Hubbard, ch. 26, Johnson, New-England, 39, Mass. Col. Laws, 
Holmes Am. Annals, vol. 1, p. 210.] Holmes remarks this law 
was repealed in 1665, but Hutchinson says, it was only "in 
appearance," and that it "was in fact continued in force until 
the dissolution of the charter government, in 1785." The 
qualifications of freemen in Massachusetts and the Plymouth 
Colony were not in this respect essentially diflferent. 

Note O. Pai^e 20. 

William Pool was brother of Elizabeth Pool, and afterwards 
removed to Dorchester, where he distinguished himself as a man 
of education and piety. In the annals of Dorchester by Jame£5 
Blake, which published mss. constitutes number two of the 

* Plym. Mem. part 1, page 272. 



WILLIAM POOLE, OR POLE. 47 



Collections of the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical So" 
ciety, under date of 1674, we find the following entry : "This 
year Died Mr. William Pole, of whom ye Hecords thus speak, 
"Mr. William Pole, that sage, Reved. Pious man of God, 
departed this life Febr. 24th 1674." He was Clerk of ye 
Writs & Register of Births, Deaths & Marriages in Dorches- 
ter about 10 years; and often schoolmaster in Dorchester. 
Upon his Tomb it is thus written : 

"The Epitaph of William Pole, which he himself made while 

he was yet living, in Remembrance of his own Death, and 

left it to be Engraven on his Tomb, so that being Dead 

he might warn Posterity. 

" Or a Resemblance of a Dead man bespeaking ye Reader." 
" Ho Passenger 'tis worth thy Pains to stay 
" And take a Dead man's Lesson by ye Way. 
' ' I was what now thou art, & thou shalt be 
" What I am now, what odds 'twixt me and thee ! 

I " Now go thy way : but stay, take one word more, 

[ " Thy Staff for ought thou know'st Stands next ye Door. 

" Death is ye Door, ye Door of Heaven or Hell : 

I " Be warn'd, be arm'd, Believe, Repent, Farewell." 

I He Died Febr. 24th, 1674; aged 81 years. 

I John, a son of William Pool, removed to Boston, and was 
I subsequently distinguished, as a partisan officer in the great 
I Indian war. He succeeded to the possessions of his aunt, 
I Elizabeth Pool, and from him they descended eventually to 
ithe family of Borland. The wife of Colonel John Pool was 
I the daughter of William Brenton, Esq., who resided in Taunton 
[many years; from him are descended Sir Jahleel Brenton, an 

admiral in the British navy and the Hon. Brenton Haliburton. 

a Judge of the Supreme Court of Novascotia." — {F. Baylies.) 
In the registry of early deaths in Taunton, to be found on 

the Proprietors' records is the following : "Timothy, son of Mr. 

William Poole, d. 15 Dec. 1667, he was drowned in a little 

pond at Wesquabinansit, (Squawbetty) where it was thought he 

did swim in after a gose which he had shoote." 



THE MINISTRY OP TAU^^TON. 



Note P. Page 20. 

Mr. John Gilbert, Senior, as is supposed, came from Deron- 
i^liire at an age somewhat advauced, and settled witli his family\ 
at Dorchester. He was dead pretious to 1654, but his widow, 
Mrs. Winnifred Giilaert, was then living. He and Henry An-f 
drews were the two first deputies or representatives from Taun- 
ton to the General Court in Plymouth, in 1639. He was a,i 
leading man in town. In 1641, Mr. John Gilbert, Senior, Mr.h 
William Poole, Mr. Henry Andrews, John Strong, John Deane,;, 
Walter Peane, and Edward Case, received a grant of forty across 
each, "lying together in some convenient place, for their great! 
charges in attending courts, laying out of lands, and other oc-*- 
casions for the town." Two of his sons, Thomas and John,, 
came with him to Taunton, and were original proprietors. 

Note Q. Page 20. 

Mr. Henry Andrews was one of the first two deputies to theb 
General Court, in 1639. He was also a deputy in 1643, 1644, 
1647, and 1649. He was j^robably a carpenter, or a con tractor i' 
for building, as " in 1647, the calf pasture neck was sold to ^ 
Henry Andrews for building the meeting-house ' ' — the first 
meeting-house in the town of Taunton. In 16.59, he in con- 
nection with John Macomber, was permitted to erect a saw-mill 
on Mill river, "if it be not found hurtful to the grist-mill." 
A son of Henry Andrews, bearing his name, was killed in 
King Philip's War. 

Note E. Pa^re 20. 

John Strong was son of Richard Strono- of Taunton, Enf>-- 
land, and came to New-England with his sister, in the ' ' 3Iary 
and John, in 1630.* His sister mar. Wcilter Deane, her name 
being Eleanor. t They were in Dorchester until the settlement 



* Appendix to Hitchcock's sermon at the funeral of Mrs. Joanna 
Strong. 
t Brist. Reg. of Deeds — vii. 351. 



JOHN DEANE. 49 



of Taunton in 1637. It is not certain just how long John ^ 
Strong remained in Taunton. Mr. Baylies says till "after the 
Indian War."* He went thence to Northampton and is the 
progenitor of the many illustrious families which bear that name 
in different parts of our country. He is spoken of as " Elder 
John Strong." His lot in Taunton was on Dean street, adjoin- 
in »• those of John and Walter Deane. 

Note S. Page 20. 

John and Walter Deane were brothers. They ''took up 
their farms on the west hank of the river, (the larger river,) 
about one mile from the centre of the present village," in what 
from that day to this has been called "Deane Street." John 
was born about 1600, having died between April 25 and Juno 
7, 1660, "aged sixty years or thereabouts." His wife, who was 
named Alice, survived hira, and was probably living as late as 
1668, as she is referred to in the records of the Plymouth Court 
for tliat year. The following extract from his will shows what 
his feeling was with regard to a "settled ministry," however 
the colony, towards the close of the century, may have deterio- 
rated in this respect. " Item, my will is that these my over- 
seers with the consent of my wife shall in case heer be no settled 
ministry in Taunton ; they shall have full power to sell either 
the whole or a part of these my Housings and Lands, soe as my 
Children and Posteritie may remove elsewhere, where they may 
enjoy God in His ordinances."! The inventory of his estate 
was £.331,18. Tradition has furnished the following anec- 
dote concerning John Deane. While out on a hunting excursion 
alone, he perceived some Indians cautiously approaching through 
the bushes, evidently with the purpose of capturing or killing 
him. When they had nearly reached him, the thought sudden- 
ly struck him of making it to appear as if he were only one of 
a multitude. This ha did by exclaiming loudly, "Rush on, 
boys, and we '11 have them," at the same time, firing his gun 

* Plvm. Mem. vol. 1. 287. 
t Will — Plym. Frob. Rec ii. 61. 
5 



60 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



and making forward. The stratagem succeeded, and the wild 
men of the woods scattered, permitting him to return home un- 
molested. 

The children of John and Alice Deane were as follows : 

I. Jonx, born about 1639, said to have been the first white 
child born in Taunton. He died during the " Great Snow," 
Feb. 18, 1717, and there is a tradition he lay dead in his house 
three weeks before it was known to his neighbors.* His grave- 
stone is yet visible in the neck-of-land burial place. t He mar- 
ried Nov. 7, 1663; Sarah, daughter of Dea. Samuel Edson of 
Brido:cwater. Their children wore as follows : 

(1) Samuel, deacon of the Taunton church, born Jan. 24, 

* I have heard the following interesting circumstance related in con- 
nection with this scene. A daughter resided with him who Avas unmar- 
ried. She had been remarkably timid up to this time. But during these 
many days of solitary conliuement with the dead body of her father, 
she experienced such a change in her character, as excluded all fear for- 
ever after. She Avas famous through all the region for her resolute and 
undaunted courage. 

t This is the earliest place of burial in Taunton knoAvn to us. It is 
now rarely Aisited saA-e by the antiquary, and some stray sheep or cow. 
Avhich seeks its pasturage amongst the graA'es of our fathers. My es- 
teemed friend, Mr. Edgar H. Keed, with due A-eneration for the ancient 
dead, has crept OA'er the entire enclosure Avith chisel in hand, and- deci- 
phered the almost illegible inscriptions. I haA'e been permitted to ex- 
amine his 3ISS. in AA'hich are recorded the inscriptions, not only in this, 
but in every other graA-eyard in toAvn, prior to 1800. Those prior to 
1700 I transcribe : 

"Elizabeth Smith, aged 40, dyed Jany. 31, 1687." 

" Damaris Smith, aged 21 years, dyed' 29th of Oct., 1689." 

Abigail Thayer, dyed the 20th of August, in the yr. 1691, in the 52d 
year of her adge." 

'•Joseph Leonard dyed the 18th of Oct. in the year 1G92, in the SSth 
{Wm. R. Dean says 38th,) year of his adge." 

In the burying ground three and a half miles south of the Green on 
the Digliton road, are the folloAving inscriptions prior to 1700: 

" Here lyes ye body of Elizabeth Walker, Avife of James Walker, 
aged 59, dyed in ye year 1678, Aug. the 14." 

" Here Ives ye body of James Walker, aged 73. dA*ed in ye year 1691, 
Feb. ye 15th." 

"Here Ives ye bodv of Joseph AtAA'ood, aged 47, dyed in ve year 
1696-7 in Feb. ye 12."' 

" Here lieth ye body of Esther AtAVOod, ye Avife of Joseph AtAA-ood, 
aged 46, dyed in ye year 1696, in April ye 8th." 



DESCENDANTS OF JOHN DEANE. 51 

1666, diod Oct. 1, 1731, married Sarah . Their chil- 
dren (1) Sarah. (2) Bethiah, married Samuel Clapp, grand- 
parents of Hon. Asa Clapp of Portland, Me., whose daughter 
Eliza married Hon. Levi Woodbury. (3) Samuel married (1) 
Mary Avery, (2) Ilachel D wight, (3) Wid. Margaret King, 
father of Kev. Samuel Deane, d. d., of Portland, Me. (4) 
William, married Esther Avery, Aug. 7, 1704, grandparents 
of Rev. Samuel Deane of Scituate, Mass., whose brother Jacob 
of Mansfield, is father of WilKam Reed Deane, of Boston. (5) 
Nathan. (6) Isaac. 

(2) Sarah, born Nov. 9, 1668, mar. Maj. Jonathan Howard 
of Bridgewater. 

(3) John, b. July 6, 1670, d. Aug. 6, 1670. 

(4) Mehitable, b. Oct. 0, 1671, mar. Joseph Wllbore. 

(5) John, b. Sept. 18, 1674, d. July 31, 1724. Wid. 
Hannah d. July 15, 1748. 

(6) Elizabeth, b. March 16, 1676, d. unmarried, March 15, 
1749. 

(7) Mary, b. July 15, 1680, mar. Seth Williams. 

(8) Susannah, b. Aug. 13, 1683, d. unmarried about 1716. 

(9) Israel, b. Aug. 4, 1685, mar. 1705, Katharine Bird of 
Dorchester. 

II. Thomas, settled at Taunton, mar. Jan. 5, 1669, Kath- 
arine Stephens. Their children were as follows: 

(1) Thomas, b. Feb. 1, 1671, d. Feb. 26, 1671. 

(2) Hannah, b. Jan. 14, 1672, d. unmarried about 1750. 

(3) Thomas, b. about 1673, d. Sept. 10, 1747, mar. Jan. 
7, 1696, Mary Kingsley of Milton, Mass. From them descend- 
ed Hon. Josiah Dean of Raynham, Mem. of Con. 1807-9. 

(4) Deborah, mar. John Tisdale. 

(5) Katharine, mar. April 17, 1710, Dea. Samuel Leonard. 
Their daughter, Hazadiah, mar. Rev. John Wales, first minis- 
ter of Raynham : Their daughter. Prudence, mar. Rev. Peres 
Forbes, l. l. d., second minister. Their daughter, again 
Nancy, mar. Rev. Simeon Doggett, also a mini&ter of Raynham. 



52 THE MINISTRY OP TAUXTON. 

Rev. Samuel Wales, d. d., Prof, of Divinity in Yale CollegG, 
was a son of the Rev. John Wales. Hon. John Wales, U. S. 
Senator from Delaware, was a son of Prof. Wales. 

(6) Lydia, mar. Greorge Hall. 

(7) Mercy, mar. Daniel Williams. 

(8) Elizabeth, b. about 1688, d. March 18, 1758, mar. 
Dea. Benjamin Williams. 

III. Israel, "was a lieutenant in Philip's war and was in 
the great Narragansett Fight."* He died unmarried. Will 
dated Aug, 7, 1677. 

TV. Isaac, settled in Taunton, married Jan. 24, 1677, 
Hannah, daughter of James Leonard. Their children, as fol- 
lows : 

(1) Alice, b. Nov. 20, 1678, mar. Feb, 1, 1700, John 
King of Raynham. 

(2) Abigail, b. Nov. 16, 1680, mar. Torry. 

(3) Hannah, b. AjDril 24, 1683, mar. Hodges. 

(4) Nathaniel, b. April 25, 1685. 

(5) Jonathan. 

(6) Abiah, 

(7) Deborah. 

Note T. Page 20. 

Walter, the younger brother of John Deane, was born, 
according to Rev. S. Deane, "in Chard, England, between 
1615 and 1620. Chard is about ten miles from Taunton, Som- 
ersetshire, England, the birth place of Elizabeth Pool, and 
others of the original settlers of Taunton, in New-England. 
Both towns are situated in an extensive and fertile valley, call- 
ed Taunton Dean, on the river Tone. This "dean" or valley 
comprehends a region about Taunton very pleasant and popu- 
lous, of some thirty miles in extent, and has been represented 
as exceedingly productive. The following proverb, which ac- 
* Mss. papers of liev. S. Deane. 



* 



WALTER DEANE. 53 



cording to Fuller's Worthies, is current with the inliabitants, 
implies, and is intended by them to express a pride in the place 
of their birth, namely : ' ' Where should I be born else than in 
Taunton Dean." In Campbell's Survey of Great Britain, is 
the following description: "The vale of Taunton Dean in re- 
spect to its amazing fertility is only surpassed by the industry of 
its inhabitants, which is a point that we may affirm to be ex- 
tremely worthy of notice, since it very rarely happens in this 
kingdom, or in any other, that when from the natural fecundity 
of the soil, a plentiful subsistence may be had with very little 
labor, the people should nevertheless apply themselves vigor- 
ously and steadily to the manual arts." 

Walter Deane was a tanner by trade.* He was a man of 
influence, and highly esteemed in the settlement. This appears 
from the fact he was deputy from Taunton to the Plymouth 
Court in 1640,t and selectman also of Taunton from 1679 to 
1686 inclusive.! He married Eleanor, daughter of Richard 
Strong of Taunton, England, and sister of John Strong, one of 
the original settlers in Taunton, Xew-England.§ The names of 
but three of his children are known, although it is supposed he 
had others, who either died early or removed from Taunton. 
The following settled in Taunton : 

I. Joseph, "cordwainer," (Bristol Reg. Deeds i, 63,) of 
Taunton, 1684, (Ditto) of Dighton 1728 (Bris. Prob. Rec. 
v., 202) died between Dec. 3, 1728 and Feb. 11, 1729, leav- 
ing a widow, Mary. (Ditto.) Their children were as follows : 

(1) Joseph. From him was descended John G-. Deane, 
Esq., of Ellsworth, afterwards of Portland, a prominent writer 
on the N. E. boundary question, who married Rebecca, daugh- 
ter of Hon. Judge Paddleford of Taunton, and who was the 
father of Joseph P. Deane, Esq., of Taunton. 

* Bristol Reg. Deeds, i, 152. 

t Plym. Court Orders, i ; Baylies Plym. i, 307. 

t Plymouth Court Orders, vi. 

^ Appendix to Hitchcock's sermon at funeral of Mrs. Joanna Strong, 9 



54 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

(2) Samuel, died without issue. 

(3) James, died about 1750, wife Mary. 
(4} Sarah, mar. Reed. 

II. Ezra, mar. Dec. 17, 1676, Bctliiah, daughter of Dea. 
Samuel Edson of Bridgewater: died between Oct. 28, 1727, 
and Feb. 15, 1732. (Bris. Prob. Eec. yii., 286.) Their 
children : 

(1) Bethiah, b. Oct. 14, 1677, d. Nov. 27, 1679. 

(2) Ezra, b. Oct. 14, 1680, and was twice married. His 
wife Abigail survived him. The family was remarkable for its 
longevity, as appears from the following communication in the 
Columbian Reporter, a paper published in Taunton, in 1825. 

"Dr. Ezra Dean's children were (1) Ezra, died at the age 
of 89. (2) Theodore, 100. (3) Abijah, (Abigail?) 95. 
(4) Bethiah, 96. (5) Nehemiah, 90. (6) James, 90. (7) 
Seth, 88. (8) Solomon, 61. (9) Elkanah, 87. (10) Wil- 
Ham, now (1825) living, 94. (11) George, 86. (12) Eli- 
sha, 83. (13) Nathaniel, 25. (14) Esther, now (1825) 
living, 92. (15) Prudence, 80. (16) Stephen, 51. Uni- 
ted ages, 1307. Eleven of the family lived more than 1000 
years, two of whom are now (1825) living. Theodora Dean 
lived to see her children to the fifth generation, and was the 
mother of the late Dr. Job Godfrey of Taunton, who was em- 
inent in his profession for more than half a century." Job 
Godfrey, the son of the physician, is at present (1852) "Pro- 
prietors' Clerk," and has their records, which are all the more 
valuable, since the Town records are lost. He is one of the 
oldest men in town. 

(3) Samuel, b. April 11, 1681, d. Feb. 16, 1683. 

(4) Seth, b. June 3, 1683, settled at Taunton. From him 
are descended Rev. Paul Dean of Boston, and Amos Dean 
Esq., of Albany, N. Y. 

(5) Margaret, mar. Shaw. 

(6) Ephraim, mar. Mary Allen of Rehoboth. Their son 
Ezra mar. Jemima, daughter of David Allen, and was the 



DESCENDAXTS OF WALTER DEANE. 55 



father of Dr. Ezra Dean of Cambridge, Mass, who mar. (1) 
Sarah, daughter of Rev. Paul Coffin, d. d., of Buxton, Me., 
(2) Mary, daughter of Rev. Silas Moody of Kennebunkport, 
Me., and by the latter, father of Mr. Charles Deane of Bos- 
ton, of the firm of Waterson, Pray & Co., who mar. Helen, 
daughter of Robert Waterson, Esq. 

III. Benjamin, mar. Jan. 6, 1681, Sarah Williams, died 
between Feb. 2, 1723, and April 14, 1725. [Bris. Prob. 
Rec. v., 62, 72.] Their children: 

(1) Naomi, b. Nov. 1, 1681, d. Jan. 6, 1682. 

(2) Hannah, b. Dec. 26, 1682, mar. Richmond. 

(3) *Israel, b. Feb. 2, 1685, d. March 27, 1760, widow 
Ruth d. 1769. 

(4) Mary, b. June 15, 1687, mar. Edson. 

(5) Damaris, b. Sept. 4, 1689, mar. Matthew White. 

(6) Sarah, b. Aug. 30, 1692, mar. Danforth. 

(7) Elizabeth, b. March 26, 1695, mar. Richmond. 

(8) Mehitable, b. June 9, 1697, mar. Richmond. 

(9) Benjamin, b. July 31, 1699, d. Jan. 6, 1785, mar. 
Zipporah Deane, daughter of John, grandson of John, the first 
settler. She died Sept. 27, 1778. 

* Israel married Knth Jones of Sandwich Their children were 
Abraham, Israel, Job, Euth, Naomi, and Noah. Noah mar. Elizabeth 
Hathaway, of Dighton, (now Berkley.^ Their children Avere : Noah, 
•who died unmarried, aged 23 ; Elizabetli, and Abiel. Elizabeth mar. 
John Dennis, Esq., who died abroad. Their children were : Elizabeth 
and Mary, who mar. "William Reed, of Taunton, and John, who mar. 
Joanna Carver, of Taunton. Abiel Dean i^yet living (1852) in Ware- 
ham, aged 88 years. He mar. Abby White of Titticut, and has had 
eight children: 

(1) Celia, mar. Joshua Leach of Easton. 

(2) Damaris, mar. Eliezer Waterman of Halifax. 

(3) Noah, mar. Roxana Hammond of Mattapoisett. 
^4) Betsey, mar. Peleg Washburn of Middleborough. 
^5) Hannah, mar. Joseph Hammond of Rochester. 
(6) Mary, mar. Consider Benson of Middleborough. 
{7) Joshua, mar. Mary Cushing of Rochester. 

(8) Emeline, mar. (1) Seth Atwood of Wareham, (2) George Cobb, 
son of Rev. Di-. Cobb of Rochester. 

[The above was communicated by Mrs. William Reed of Taunton.] 



THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



(10) Ebenezer, b. Feb. 24, 1702, d. July 30, 1774, mar. 
Rachel Allen, who d. March 3, 1768, aged 74. He and his 
son Joshua were in the "old French War." A son of Josh- 
ua, Joseph, distinguished himself in the Kevolutionary War, 
and during the "Shay's rebellion." Joseph had two sons 
who were ministers, viz : Rev. Artemas Dean, of New Wind- 
sor, N'. Y., and Rev. Joshua Dean, of Groton, N. Y. 

(11) Lydia, b. Dec. 11, 1704. 

(12) Josiah, b. Oct. 23, 1707, d'. March 23, 1710. 

The above notice of the first three generations of the Deane 
family has been prepared for the most part from an interesting 
article in the New-En ojland Historical and Genealosrical Reo-is- 
ter, vol. 3, pp. 375, 387, the materials for which were fur- 
nished by Mr. Yf illiam R. Deane, a native of Mansfield, now 
of Boston, a descendant of John Deane, through John, Sam- 
uel, William, John, and Jacob Deane, and both by descent 
and marriage connected with a large number of the early 
ministers of the ancient Taunton. 



Note U. Pag-e 20 



o^ 



Edward Case's lot was on Deane St., not far from the Deanes. 
He left town after a few years and sold out to one Samuel Wil- 
bore, who became a follower of Mrs. Hutchinson, and shared 
in her fate. The estate fell into the hands of Shadrach Wil- 
bore, a son of the former, for nearly forty years a most faithful 
Town Clerk, and who suffered himself to be imprisoned by or- 
der of Sir Edmund Andros, rather than give up the town rec- 
ords. It is to be deplored, that a little more regard for tho 
safety of these documents did not in later years provide against 
their destruction by fire. Our fathers appreciated the fidelity 
of their public officer, and granted "to Shadrach Wilbore, the 
town clerk, one hundred acres of land at Cotley, to help make 
up his loss and trouble which he suffered in the time of Sir Ed- 
mund Andros, his government." *"His chirography, " re- 

* Baylies Plym. Mem. 4th, p. 80. 



EARLY SETTLERS AND CHURCH MEMBERS. 57 



marks Mr. Baylies, "is extremely beautiful." Ihavescen.it 
in the Proprietors' Records, and can fully endorse the statement. 
During his imprisonment at Plymouth, I have understood from 
Mr. B., that the indomitable Wilbore occupied his time in tran- 
scribing valuable papers in the archives of that ancient town. 

Note V. Paire 20. 

Mil. Richard Smith, and John Smith. The relation of these 
two early settlers is not known to us. If John was the son of 
Richard, as is not improbable,* the following names copied from 
the Proprietors' Records, may be those of his children, other- 
wise his grand-childron. 

"The names of the children of John Smith, Sen.: 

(1) Elizabeth, born Sept. 7, 16G3. 

(2) Henry, born May 27, 1666. 
John Smith, Senior, mar. Jael Parker of Bridgewater, Nov. 

15, 1672. 

(3) Deborah, born March 7, 1676. 

(4) Homer, born March 22, 1678. 

(5) John, born Dec. 6, 1680. 

William Parker, 

it may be, is "the husbandman," at whose "hands," Thomas 
Lechford says, "Mr. Hooke received ordination." He must 
have been considerable of a man in the colon}', to be associated, 
in the rumor which reached this churchman's ears, v/ith so much 
of a person as "Bishop, the schoolmaster," in this important 
act of consecration. We should like to know more of him than 
we do. 

Mr. Thomas Farwell 

died previous to 1675. His son John went to England. Plis 
widow was the third wife of Rev. George Shove. 

* In 1643, the males ia Taunton between sixteen and sixty, subject 
to military duty were fifty-four. Tbe name of Richard Smith does not 
appear, from which we infer he may have been over sixty. 



58 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 



3Tr. David Corwithy^s j 

name does not appear in tlie list of males in Taunton in 1643, 
between sixteen and sixty. He was probably one of the older 
men in the settlement, and died without heirs of his own name. 

A short time before the commencement of the Indian "War in 
16*/ 5, a catalogue of the proprietors at that time of the " ancient 
Taunton" was entered on the town book, preceded by a pream- 
ble of which the following is the commenceraent : ' ' Whereas, 
by the Providence of God in the year 1638, and the year 1639, 
it pleased God to bring the most part of the first purchasers of 
Taunton over the great ocean into this wilderness, from our dear 
and native land, and after some small time here, we found this 
place, (called by the natives of the land Cohannet) in the col- 
ony of New-Pl3^mouth, which in honor and in love to our dear 
and native country, we called Taunton, etc." 

There are the names of seventy-two proprietors, exclusive of 
several claimants to John Strong's estate. The estate of David 
Corwithy is claimed by Nicholas White, Senior.* 

Mr. Hollow ay. 

This was probably William HoUoway, one of ''the first and 
ancient purchasers " — although the name of J^iwio^/^y appears 
in 1643. There were several of that name in the early history 
of the town. Their descendants are now to be found through- 
out the country. 

3fr. Nicholas Street 

was the minister. He was at the same time, according to an- 
cient Congregational usage, a memher of the church, over which 
he had been installed as Teacher, and of which he subsequently 
became both Teacher and Pastor. 

* Baylies 2nd part, p. 280. 



THOMAS GILBERT. 59 



Thomas Gilbert 

was tlic son of Mr. Jolin Gilbert, Senior. Fidelity to the rec- 
ords, which are meagre at the best, concerning the early settlers 
of Taunton, compels us to narrate a painful occurrence in the 
life of this Thomas Gilbert, which proves that in the best com- 
munities, and even in our churches, disorders may arise which 
call for discipline and rebuke. Gov. Winthrop, in his history of 
New-England, has given an account of the proceeding referred 
to, in the following official statement: "8th mo., Aug. 18, 
1636. Thomas Gilbert brought before us. He was drunk at 
Sergeant Baulston's, and the constable being sent for, he struck 
him. He was kept in prison all night, and the next day, his 
father, John Gilbert, and his brother, John Gilbert of Dor- 
chester, undertook in forty pounds that John Gilbert, the 
younger, would appear at Court to answer for him, and per- 
form the order of the Court, etc. The reason was that he was 
to go to England presently and not known to have been in any 
way disordered, and was his father's oldest son, who was a 
grave, honest gentleman, etc. They did undertake also, that 
he should acknowledge his fault openly to the constable, etc." 
It is well that we have the testimony from the record that this 
was a most surprising, extraordinary incident in the history of 
Thomas Gilbert, "not known to have been in any way disor- 
dered." That ho was not afterwards "disordered" in any 
such unseemly manner, is an inference from the fact, the good 
people of Taunton, of rigid Puritan practice, elected Thomas 
Gilbert to the General Court in 1651. In 1653, he went to 
England, where ho died in 1676. He married Jane Rossiter, 
the daughter of Hugh Ilossiter, which Mr. Baylies pronounces 
the earliest marriage in Taunton. His eldest son was Thom- 
as,* the ancestor of Colonol Thomas Gilbert, a loyalist in the 

* The following is copied from the Proprietor's Records in Taunton, 
and relates to this son. 

Thomas Gilbert, mar. at Boston, to Anna Black of Milton, Dec. 18, 
1676. 

(1) Hannah, daughter of Thomas, born Sept. 28, 1677. 



60 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



opening of the Revolution, who left New-England for Nova 
Scotia. His eldest daughter Jane was the wife of Samuel, the 
son of Richard Williams. The Grilberts are said to have been 
related to the Streets, but in what way, I know not. 

Thomas Coohe 

had a son bearing his name, older than sixteen in 1643, and 
the father was under sixty. 

John Richmond 

was "either above sixty or had gone to Rhode Island" in 
1643. It was a son of his who, in 1675, was one of the Com- 
mittee that "concluded and confirmed a list of the purchasers 
or proprietors of the township of Taunton." 

John Richmond claimed "on the rights that were his father's, 
and on the rights that were Mr. Francis Douhtyes (Douty's") 
the latter being the same " master Doty," whom Lechford des- 
cribes as "ordered by the magistrate," at the ordination of 
Hooke, and " forced to go away with his wife and children.*" 
The names of the sons and daughters of John Richmond (either 
the father or the son, the latter probably,) were copied from the 
Proprietors' Records by my friend, E. H. Reed, and are as 
follows : 

(1) Dau. born at Bridgewater, June 2, 1654. 

(2) John, born at Bridgewater, June 6, 1656. 

(8) Thomas, born at Newport on Road Island, Feb. 2, 1658. 

(4) Susanna, born at Bridgewater, Nov. 4, 1661. 

(5) Joseph, born at Taunton, Dec. 8, 1663. 

(6) Edward, " " Feb. 8, 1665. 

(7) Samuel, " " Sept. 23, 1668. 

(2) Sarah and Marv, twins, born Ang. 11, 1679. 

(4) Thomas, born. July 11, 1681. 

(5) Nathaniel, born. July 19, 1683. 

(6) Mchitable. born. May 5. 1686. 
Thomas, died Feb. 1, 1692.' 

Jane Gilbert, the mother of Thomas Gilbert, died June 1, 1G91, ajed 



HOAR. PAULL. ROSSITER. 01 



(8) Sarah, born at Taunton, Feb. 26, 1670. 

(9) John, " '* Dec. 5, 1673. 

(10) Ebenezer, born at Newport in R. I. May 12, 1676. 

(11) Abigail, '' " Feb. 26, 1678. 

Hezehiah Hoar 



was living in 1675. He was a brother of Richard Hoar, an 
early settler in Yarmouth, of John Hoar, an early settler in 
Scituate, and of Leonard Hoar, the third President of Harvard 
College. He was also cousin to Rev. Samuel Newman, of 
Rehoboth.* His lot in Taunton was on Dean street. The 
names of the sons and daughters of Hezekiah Hoar, as taken 
from the Proprietors' records, are : 

(1) Marcy, born last of Jan. 1654. 

(2) Nathaniel, *•' March, 1656. 

(3) Sarah, born first of April, 1658. 

(4) Elizabeth, born, May 26, 1660. 

(5) Edward, born Sept. 25, 1663. 

(6) Lydia, born March 24, 1662. 

(7) Mary, born Sept. 22, 1669. 

(8) Hezekiah, born Nov. 10, 1678. 

Richard Paull 

according to Mr. Baylies, "was dead previous to 1675, leav 
ing children," but how many, or what their names, I have 
been unable to learn. Probably he left no son, as James 
Leonard, Jr., inherited his estate; nor did any proprietor of 
that year bear the name of Paull. 

Hugh Rossiter 

sold out sometime before 1675, to Joseph Willis, and went 
to Connecticut. It was his daughter, Jane, who married Thom- 
as Gilbert. 



^ Rev. Samuel Deane, of Scituate, as quoted by Baylies. 

6 



62 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Francis Street. ' \ 

His relation to Kev. Nicliolas Street is not known to us 
He left, according to Mr. Baylies, "one dauglitcr, Mary."* 

John Gingell 

left Taunton early ; as Mr. Baylies tliinks, for Lynn. Hii 
name has not been transmitted, so far as we know, in tbii 
section. 

William Scadding''s 

name does not appear in the list of males, subject to mili 
tary duty in 1643, or in 1675. John Briant claims on 
the rights of William Scadding, from which we infer, he dio 
not remain in town, although either he, or some of his descen-j 
dants probably have given their name to one of the most de? 
lightful sheets of water in town, known to this day as " Scadl 
ding's Pond," 

* Baylies Hist. Memoir, part 2, page 282, note- i 



REV. WILLIAM HOOKE. 63 



s 



CHAPTER II. 

REV. WILLIAM IIOOKE — THE FIRST MINISTER OP 

TAUNTON. 



Of Mr. Hooke, the first pastor of the ancient church 
m Taunton, we know less than we could wish.f That he 
was a native of Southampton, England, the son of a gen- 
ii tleman, born in 1601, admitted to the degree of Bachelor 
of Arts in Trinity College, Oxford, in 1620 ; of Master 
^'of Arts in 1623, appears from the record in Wood's 
Fasti, examined and transcribed by Hon. James Savage 

in 1812..i: 

" Collegium Trinit. 19 May, 1620. 

William Hooke, Southamptoniensis, Generasi 
filius, annos natus 19." 
^' Admitted to b. a., 28 June, 1620. 
" " M. A., 26 May, 1623."§ 

At the early age of twenty-two, Mr. Hooke proceeded 
to the defrree of Master of Arts in the most ancient and 



* The substance of this sketch was first published by the compiler of 
this work in the " Christian Observatory," in 1848 — pp. 433-442. 

t Desirous to learn something- more concerning the ancestry of Hooke 
and the present condition of the family, if it be yet alive in the mother 
country, I sent some weeks since, through Rev.. Dr. Bigelow, a letter of 
enquiry to his brother-in-law, Hon. Abbott Lawrence, our distinguished 
Ambassador to the Court of Great Britain, who kindly forwarded the 
same to Rev. Mr. Waddington, pastor of the Pilgrim Church at South- 
wark, from whom I am sorry to say, I have not yet heard. Should an 
answer arrive in season, it will ap])ear in the appendix. 

X Gleanings for New-England Hist. Mass. Hist. Coll. 3d Series — 
vol. 8, p. 249. 

4 Fasti, oxon. 1: 392 orig, Reg. 0. Folio 260 of the Oxford University. 



64 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

respectable English Universitj, " at which time," remarks 
Wood, " he was esteemed a close student, and a religious 
person." He received Orders in the Church of England, 
and became Vicar of Axmouth, in Devonshire, where he 
remained several years, preaching with too great fidelity 
to please the Throne. His non-conformity subjected him, 
no less than others, to serious embarrassments j which sug- 
gested the idea of emigrating to a more propitious land. 
He sought New-England, whither the eye of the ill-humor- 
ed AVood followed him, for he says of him, " he contuiued 
liis practices without control for some time." 

In what year Hooke reached New-England, we do not 
know ; but we first hear of him in the " Titiquet purchase," 
the shepherd of the flock Avhich chose to rest in their wea- 
riness and wanderings, upon the banks of the Nistequahan- 
nock and the Wesquabenanset. Such men as Wilson of 
Boston and Mather of Dorchester inducted him into office, 
and gave him the cordial Right Hand of Christian Fellow- 
ship.* That they did not, in this instance, " lay hands sud- 
denly " on the pastor elect, and introduce " a novice " into 
the work of the ministry, is apparent from the testimony of 
contemporaries, andthe character of the productions which 
have survived him. Cotton Mather says of him, '' he was a 
learned, holy and humble man." Dr. Trumbull, the his- 
torian of Connecticut, also makes mention of him, as a 
man " of great learning and piety, and possessing excel- 
lent pulpit talents." 

Johnson, m his " Wonder working Providence," enumer- 
ating " the great supply of godly ministers for the good of 

=*Lechford on p. 54 of his pamphlet " newes from New-England" states 
this, although in another connection he says, " master Hooke received 
ordination from the hands of one master Bishop, a schoolmaster, and 
one Parker, a liusbandman, and then master Hooke joj'^ned in ordaining 
master Street." (P. 40.) 



I 



WILLIAM UOOKE. 65 



His people iii New-England," does not fail to include Mr. 
Hooke in the number, but dii*ects attention to him in this 
form : " As also the reverend and faithful servant of Christ 
Jesus, ^Ir. Wilham Hooke, who was for some space of time at 
the church in Taunton, but now remaines called to office in 
the church of Christ at New-Haven, a man who hath received 
of Christ many gracious gifts, fit for so high a calling, with 
very amiable and gracious speech laboring in the Lord."* 
Mr. Hooke remained in Taunton not far from seven 
years. During w^hich time the small settlement of Cohan- 
net enjoyed the united services of himself and Mr. Nich- 
olas Street, the one as Pastor, the other as Teacher.f At" 
length invited to succeed Samuel Eaton, the brother of 
Theophilus Eaton, the founder and first governor of New- 
Haven, Mr. Hooke accepted the call to be associated with 
the famous John Davenport, in the care of the New-Har- 
ven church, and, probably sometime during the years of 
1644-45 J was installed as Teacher. Cotton Mather gives 
us the text of his first sermon at New-Haven, " Go thou 
with Phurah, thy servant." (Judges, 7: 10.) From him 
also we learn the doctrme of the discourse, which " he 
humbly raised " from the text humbly chosen, viz : " That 
in great services a little help is better than none." J If 

* Chap. 16, p. 21. 

t " The office of Pastor and Teacher, appears to be distinct. The 
Pastor's special work is to attend to exhortation, and tliereiu to admin- 
ister a word of wisdom ; the Teacher is to attend to doctrine, and there- 
in to administer a word of knowledge : and either of them to administer 
the seals of that covenant, into the dispensation whereof they are alike 
called ; as also to execute the censures, being but a kind of application 
of the word : the preaching of which, together M'ith the application 
thereof, they are alike charged withal." — (Cambridge Platform, chap. 6, 
sect. 5.) 

X Magnalia, iii. 214. We can rely upon this statement of Mather, 
better than upon his chronology. For example : He assigns the 
settlement in New-Haven to 1640, or 41, to which opinion Mr. Baylies 
is inclined ; but Trumbull, in liis history of Connecticut, says it was in 

6* 



6Q THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



the New-Haven Teacher, in his lowhness of mind, placed 
such a low estimate upon his labors, we may be sure not 
even Mr. Davenport regarded the " help " of such a man 
as Wilham Hooke " little."* 

In a letter from Davenport " to the Right Worshipful 
John Wmthrope, Esq., Governore of Connectacute," we 
find a very affectionate allusion made to Ms " brother 
Hooke," as " valetudmarious, having bene afflicted with a 
very great fluxe of Rheiune, accompanied with an Erisip- 
ilus unto danger of death — his wife also hath her bodily 
infirmities." Dr. Bacon, in his "Historical Discourses" 
concerning the New-Haven church, makes honorable men- 
tion of the associate of Mr. Davenport. After quoting, at 
some length from one of his sermons, he appears quite 
willing to leave it on record as an enduring " specimen of 
their first teacher's style of preaching ;" at the same time 
asking, " whether those who are most accustomed to de- 
preciate the intellectual and moral character of our ances- 
tors must not ovai that such a specimen refutes their pre- 
judices ?" Hooke remained in New-Haven not far from 
twelve years. His wife, a sister of Edward Whalley, who 
was one of the judges in the trial of Charles I., departed 
for England in 1654 ; and two years afterward, m 1656, 
Mr. Hooke himself folio w^ed.f His return m the circum- 

1644, which must be nearer the trath, fcr we have a Fast Day sermon in 
our possession which was'' preached by " William Hooke, minister of 
God's Word at Taunton" after the period assigned to his removal. 

* The fact of his being Teacher in the church indicated no inferiority 
or subordination in his official relation to the church. The Pastor and 
Teacher were coordinate officers, and, as Dr. Bacon remarks, " in the 
highest sense, ministers of the Gospel." Hooke in his humility speaks 
of " being joined with so considerable a Gideon as Mr. Davenport." 
The connection was one of mutual satisfaction and profit. 

t Town Records of New-Haven. 



WILLIAM IIOOKE. 67 



stances was not surprising. He may have felt that, in the 
Providence of God, the time had come, when he could do 
most for the infant settlement in New-England by his per- 
sonal presence in the mother country. The Protector was, 
by marriage, his cousin : his brother-in-law,* Whalley, was 
one of the eight military lords, who exercised jurisdic- 
tion over the eight districts, into which the Protector had 
divided the realm. It is to be supposed that such a near 
relative and intimate friend of Cromwell hoped to exert no 
little influence in the Commonwealth of England. On his 
return to that land he is at once admitted into the Protec- 
tor's family, as domestic chaplam, and honored with his 
fullest confidence. His associates, in that capacity, were 
such men as John Howe, and Hugh Peters, whilst John 
Milton was another name which lent its influence to that 
administration, as one of the " five Secretaries of the 
French and Latin tongues." How extended was the in- 
fluence which Hooke exerted for New-England may never 
appear — but it is known, that he was in correspondence 
with leading characters in this country, and sought to enhst 
others in the work of inter-communication. " He hath 
prevailed with a kinsman of yours, (writes Davenport to 
Winthrope) to wright unto you the story of these late years 
in England, whom he commends for great wit, parts, and 
copious language, and choise for mtelhgence, &c." In 

* The relation of Whalley as well as Goffe, two of the Eegicides, who 
after the Restoration took refuge in this country, to Hooke is indicated 
in the following postscript to a letter written by Mr. Davenport to Gov. 
Winthrope in 1660. It is to be found on a little piece of paper, wafered 
to the side of the original letter : 

" Sii' : I mistooke, in my letter, when I said Colonel Whalye was one 
of the gentlemen &c. It is Commissary Gcnerall Whaley, sister Hooke's 
brother, and his son in law, who is with him is Colonel Goffe ; boath 
godly men and escaped pursuit in England narrowly. ^ 

" New-Haven, ye Uth d. of the 6th m. 1660. Etiam atque etiam vale. 



68 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

the valuable collections of the Massachusetts Historical 
Society, are to be found many letters which were probably 
elicited by Hooke's interest in New-England. One of 
them from John INIaidson makes reference to the " kind 
remembrance" of himself through a letter recently receiv- 
ed by Mr. Hooke from His Excellency, John Wmthrope. 
A letter from Hooke to Winthrope found in the first volume 
of the Series of the Society's Collections, so clearly presents 
the mutual high regard of the parties, — contains so much of 
historical incident, at the same time unveiling the heart of 
him who wrote it, that it is inserted in the Appendix, to 
this chapter.* 

Mr. Hooke not only officiated as chaplain at "Whitehall, 
but was also charged with " the mastership of the Hospi- 
tal called the Savoy, in the city of Westminster." Thus 
situated, the sphere of the Taunton mmister was consider- 
ably enlarged. He had indeed been privileged with intel- 
ligent and influential auditors in this coimtry. The most 
gifted persons in the Plymouth and New-Haven colonies 
had listened with satisfaction to his public instructions. 
He was permitted to bear an important part in forming 
the habits and moulding the character of an incipient Com- 
monwealth. But there, in the metropolis of Great Bri- 
tain, m the centre of the most enlightened and powerful 
people in the world, with ready access to the ear of its 
present Sovereign, under the name of Protector — liis 
confidant, and counsellor, how natural to suppose that the 
post were more influential and important. But who can 
rely on any human foresight or calculation ! The Protec- 
tor soon died. A second Charles, baser and less fitted, if 
possible, for his position than the first, takes the throne. 

* Note A. 



I 



WILLIAM HOOKE. 60 



The Commonwealth is at an end. The chaplaincy of 
Whitehall no longer exists. The master of the Savoy is 
silenced. A relative and confidential adviser of Cromwell 
— a brother-in-law of one, and an uncle of yet another, 
who in their judicial capacity pronounced Charles I., guilty 
of treason, and signed his death-warrant, — conspicuous in 
the liistory of the Commonwealth, Hooke was the last man 
to find favor with the licentious Charles, or his profligate 
Court. It is not surprismg he was ejected from the pulpit 
and otherwise persecuted. Doubtless he more than once 
wished himself back again in this wilder, but freer and 
happier western world. The regicides, Whalley and Gofie, 
found a refuge from the wrath of the king, in the very 
town where the twelve years' ministry of William Hooke 
had prepared the way for them.* Nor was Mr. Daven- 
port Avanting to the refugees in their perilous exposure to 
search-warrants and seizure. Dr. Stiles relates, that 
" about the time the pursuers came to New-Haven, and 
perhaps a little before, and to prepare the minds of the 
people for their reception, the Rev. Mr. Davenport preach- 
ed publicly from this text: Isaiah xvi., 3-4, — Take 
counsel, execute judgment, make thy shadow as the night, 
etc." Several sermons of Davenport, of the same tenor, 
from these and kindred words, enjoining it upon God's 
people to "hide the outcasts, and bewray not him that 
wandereth," were printed in London in 1661 under the 
title of the " Saints' Anchor-Hold," with a preface by 
William Hooke. f Hooke had his former friends in New- 

* Di". Bacon says: '• The regicides had special reasons to expect the 
most friendly treatment in New- Haven. The sister of Gen. Wlialley, 
Mrs. Hooke, had long resided here, her husband being for twelve years 
Mr. Davenport's colleague in the work of the ministry." 

t I have never seen the book, but derive the fact from Dr. Bacon, 
who refers to it — " the only copy heard of" by him, and this imjierfect, as 
in the present possession of a descendant of Davenport, Mrs. Whelpley. 



TO THE MIXISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

England in kind remembrance. In 1671, he addressed 
his New-Haven charge a letter, in which he confirms their 
title to what was known as the " Hook-e lot,"* and pre- 
scribes certain terms in the donation, which we are sorry 
to add, on the authoritj of Dr. Bacon, have not been 
strictly complied" with. That he was mindful of his former 
flock, appears not only from his liberal gift, but from the 
declarations of his letter : 

"Brethren, I daily have you in remembrance before the 
Lord, as retaining my old brotherly affection towards you, 
desiring the return of your prayers and brotherly love for 
him, in whose heart you have a great interest. The Fath- 
er of mercy be w^ith you all, dwell in the midst of you, fill 
you with all joy and peace in believing, and bring you to 
His everlasting kingdom in glory, through Jesus Christ, 
in whom I rest." 

That the writer was able to find rest and peace in Jesus, 
in such " troublous times," is a pleasing evidence of his 
good estate. Mr. Hooke had been made a dispenser of 
the charities of the New-Haven church among the " poor 
ministers and mmisters' widows" in England. In ac- 
knowledging it, he adds : 

"This fruit of your bounty is very thankfully received, 
and acknowledged by us, and the good Lord make all 
grace to abound towards you." 

=* "Hooke's lot" in Taunton comprised the land lying between the 
" Mill river," the road leading over " Street's Bridge,"' (which was the 
original, and only road in the town for a long coui'se of years, now call- 
ed Spring Street,) Summer Street, ]\Iain Street, and a line running 
from the present site of the Taunton Bank to the river. Mrs. Pool's 
lot joined "Hooke's house lot," and extended on the river, back to the 
present Court House, including all the land south of "the Green," (the 
old training field,) down to the river. Street's lot was on the opposite 
side of the river, and was connected with the Hooke and Pool lots by 
'• Street's bridge," the first and onlij bridge for many years. 



' 



WILLIAM HOOKE. 71 



This may be regarded as the dying benediction of a 
great and good man. He led a comparatively retired life, 
for a few years, and at length was permitted to die a 
peaceful death in or near London, March 21, 1678,* at 
the advanced age of seventy-seven. Having borne a part 
in that '' slaughter of the witnesses" of which he has pul> 
licly treated, he "went," as Mather well remarks, '^from 
the privileges of labors among the saints on earth, to those 
of rewards among the saints in heaven." His body rests 
" in the sleepmg place on the north side of the new Artil- 
lery Garden," an honored associate of Puritans and Dis- 
senters "in the cemetery of Bui-nhill-fields." 

The prmted productions of Mr. Hooke, as registered by 
Wood, are: 

"New-England's Tears for Old England's fears," — 
East Sermon. Printed 1640-41, in qu. 

Sermon on Job 2: 12. Printed 1641, in qu. 

Sermon in New-England in behalf of Old England, etc., 
printed 1645, in qu., and others. 

" The Privileges of the Sauits on Earth beyond those in 
Heaven, etc." London, 1673, in oct. 

"A Discourse of the Gospel Day," printed with the 
former book. 

"He had a hand also in a Catechism published under 
the name of Jolm Davenport, and hath written other 
things which I have not yet seen." 

To this catalogue we may add from Calamy, "The 
Slaughter of the Witnesses,"—- and "a sermon m the 
supplement to the morning exercises." 

Dr. Bacon says, " only one of these is known to be in 

* Baylies, following Mather, who is not the most accurate clironolo- 
gist, says 1677. I adopt the date of Dr, Bacon, 



72 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

existence in this country," viz: the "Fast Day Sermon'* 
of 1640, from which he makes Hberal extracts, and of this 
single sermon, he supposes but a single coj^j " exists m 
the country," viz: ''in the Library of Harvard Universi- 
ty." When a year or two since President Everett kindly 
obtained for me the loan of this last named production, 
and I undertook to transcribe it entire, I then suj)posed, 
(to adopt the expression of Pres. E.,) it was a "unique 
copy," and no duphcate existed in this country.* Since 
then, however, I have seen the identical sermon in the in- 
valuable "Prince Collection," sacredly preserved in the 
Old South Chapel, Boston. It is safely laid away on one 
of the shelves in the Worcester Library. An unknown 
correspondent of the New- York Lidependent has claimed 
the quiet possession of it. Charles Deane, Esq., of Bos- 
ton, informs me he is its happy owner. And yet another 
copy quite unexpectedly came to hght, treasured up 
amongst the choicest specimens of our fathers, by my es- 
teemed friend, J. Wmgate Thornton, Esq., of Roxbury, a 
descendant by marriage of Rev. Josiah Crocker, the sixth 
Taunton minister. It is from his copy, kindly loaned me, 
the reprint in the present volume is accurately made. 
The author of a brief notice of Hooke, in a weekly sheet 
in Taunton, in 1833, and others copying from him, have 
called this " the first sermon printed in America." It has 
not that honor. It was printed in London. Nor was it the 
first New-England sermon printed there, if we concede to 
the admirable discourse of Robert Cushman " on the sm 

* Mr. Savage, in his explorations at the British Museum, found that 
this sermon constituted the fifth number of tlie twelfth volume of a col- 
lection of some two thousand books and pamphlets, issuing from the 
press from 1640 to about the time of the Revolution, and presented by 
George III., to this magnificent Institution. 



WILLIAM HOOKE. 73 



and danger of self-love," delivered inthe Plymouth Colony 
m 1621, that name. He was about a month here, and 
returned to England on j^ressmg business only to die. 
The first specimen of printing in the NeAV-England Colon- 
ies was in 1639, only a month or two before Hooke 
preached his sermon; and Stephen Daye, and Samuel 
Green, the Proprietors of that solitary press, found the 
printing of the '^Freeman's Oath, an Almanac, and the 
old New-England version of the Psalms," enough to occu- 
py their time, aside from sermons. 

A seco7id fast day sermon, preached in Taunton by 
Hooke, and printed in 1645, has also found its way to this 
country. It was purchased in London for the Cambridge 
Library by Henry Stevens, Esq., "with the bequest of 
Hon. Wm. Prescott of Boston." It was received and 
registered May 1st, 1845, two hundred years precisely 
after it was first printed in "Old England."* The work 
of Hooke's old age, "The Privileges of the Saints on 
Earth beyond those in Heaven,"! with the " Gospel Day" 
appended, is to be found in the "Prince Collection," in 
the Old South Chapel, "to remain therein," accordmg to 
the conditions of the donor, "forever." The discourse 
concerning "The Witnesses" is in the Worcester Library, 
and appears to have been printed after the author's death. $ 



* The date of this sermon conclusively proves that Mr. Hooke must 
have remained in Taunton longer than some have supposed. This ser- 
mon has been transcribed at length by the Rev. Mr. Brigham of Taun- 
ton, and read to his people, — a beautiful s])ecimen of chirography, de- 
signed for the archives of his church. The reprint in this volume is 
from the copy in Cambridge Library, kindly loaned me for that purpose 
by President Sparks, the only printed copy probably to be found in the 
countrv. 

t Note B. J Note C. 



NEW 

ENGLANDS 

TEAEES, 

FOR OLD 

ENGLANDS 

FEAEES. 
Preaclied in a Sermon on July 23. 

1640 being a clay of Publike Humiliation, 

appointed by the Churches in behalf of our 

native Countrey in time of 

feared dangers. 



By William Hooke, Minister ofGrods 

Word ; sometimes of Axmoiith in Devonshire^ 
now of Taunton^ in Neiv-England. 



Sent over to a worthy Member of the honourable 
House of Commons, who desires it may be for 
publike good. 



L N D ON, 

Printed by E. G. for lohn Rothwell and Henry Pverton,Sind 
are to be sould at the Sunne in Pauls Church- 
yard, and in Popes-head Alley. 1641. 



To the Reader. 




Courteous Reader, 

Hon hast here presented to thy view, a 
^ Sermon preached to some in New-Eng- 
land for Old Englands sake ; wherein 
!^a)© is expressed much love to a Countrey 
It was once imputed to Anaxagoras^ that hee 
cared not for his Countrey, because hee seemed 
to hee little moved with the ruins thereof This 
cannot be imputed to our brethren of New-England\ 
for they, not seeing, nor hearing of, onely fearing 
the ruines of this our Countrey, were deeply af- 
fected with it : a signe they love us. Some have 
applyed that of the Apostle to them, i John 2. 19. 
(They luent out from us, because iliey luere not of us ; 
for if they had been of us, they tuoidd no douM have 
continued ivith us, but how falsely it is applied, this 
Sermon doth discover ; for certainly they are of us^ 
though they he gone from us, for if they were not of 
us, their affections would not have so continued to us, 
as to fast and pray for us. Amor pofeit amor em. 

Let our affections bee endeared to them. 

As 



78 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

As for this Sermon, expect not eare-pleasing, 
but lieart-afFecting phrases in it : the Author sought 
not so much to please as to protit ; not to inform 
the judgement, as to work upon the affections ; 
If thou bring thy heart with thee to the Reading 
of it, thou mayst find thy heart melting by Reading 
of it, and then thou shalt have cause to blesse God 
for it. vale, \ 



' ! 



\\ 





NEW 

ENGL AN 

TEAEES 

¥ on, 

OLD ENGLANDS 

FE ARES. 

Job. 2. 13. 



fSo they sate down ivith him iip07i the ground seven dayes 
and seven nights , and none spake a word unto him , 
for they saw that his grief e was very great. 





(p^^ ^^HE words are spoken of Ms three friends 
/ ^1^ "^ who were now come to visite him, and sympa- 
thise with him in the time of hisdistresse. 
They had made an appouitment thus to doe? 
ver. 1 1. VIZ : to come to mourne with him, and comfort 
him. For thus the godly should send to one another in 
like case and acquaint one another with the sorrowes and 
calamities of their friends and brethren, and agree to con- 
tribute 



80 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



tribute and cast in their sorrowes and sympathize when 
their friends are afflicted. A godly practice, and which 
the Churches in this Land doe well tliis day to imitate. 

Now then are Jobs friends comming towards him, and 
ivlmi they lift up their eyes a far off, they hieio him not, 
^c. Affliction may so alter the outward face of things 
and friends, that ancient acquaintance may not know them. 
Upon this, they sate down with him upon the ground, ^c. 

Ohserv. The summe of what is now read unto you, is 
the sympathy of lobs friends in the time of his calamity ; 
and from it we may observe this point. 

That it is the part of true friends and brethren, to sym- 
pathize and felloiv-feele with their brethren and friends 
ivhen the hayid of God is upon them. For thus, you see, 
did lobs three friends here doe, and they performed a very 
brotherly office of love m so doing. When therefore af- 
terwards then" hearts grew more hard towards him, he 

cals upon them for the same compassions, Have 
Job, 19, 21 . ^ 7 V n 

pity upon mee, have pity upon mee, U yee my 

friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched mee. From 

whence wee may likewise collect, that ivhen the hand of God 

hath touched a friend, all his friends should have tender 

pity upon him. And such affections have the godly shewn 

forth, as wee finde in scripture. Who is weake, saith Paul^ 

and I am not weake ? Who is offended, and I 
2 Cor II. 19. . . .' 

burne not ? "\Ylien David was in great heavi- 

nesse, as being under a great affliction by the rebelhous 

insurrection of the sonne of his own loynes against him, 

Mephibosheth, the sonne of Jonathan, Davids deare friend, 

did neither dresse his feet, nor trimme his beard, 

■" "nor wash his clothes, until the day that the King 

returned 



hooke's sermon in 1640. 81 



returned in peace. And lercmy writes a booke of Lamenta- 
;ions for Indahs misery, though himselfe had then his hfc 
§iven him for a prey. When the naturall body of Christ 
was to suffer, hee said to his friends, Weejye not for mee, 
hut tveepe for your selves ; but when his mysticall body 
suffers, hee expects that wee should not weepe so much for 
ourselves as for him. 

Nay, David sympathizeth with his very enemies ; As 
for 7ne, ivlien they ivere sicJce, my clothing ivas Sack-cloth^ 
and I humbled my soule hy fasting ; I behaved my self e 
as though hee had heene my friend or brother^ Tbowed 
doivne heavily as one that mourned for his Mother, Psalme 
35. 13, 14. Whence w^ee gather, what our affections and 
behaviours ought to bee for our friends, brethren, and 
Mother, in their distresse. Yea, which is yet more, wee 
finde one wicked man fellow-feeling for another. Ahaziah, 
a wicked King went downe to visite wicked loram the son 
of Ahab, because hee w^as sicke, 2 King. 8. 27, 29. 
And both God and his Church and Children will com- 
plaine in the want of this brotherly affection. Among all 
her Lovers, saith Jeremy, shee hath none to comfort her 
Lam. 1.2. It was indeed Jerusalems misery not to bee 
pitied, but withall it was her Lovers sinne. Therefore, 
shee complams, vers. 12 : Is it nothing unto you all yee 
that passe by ? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like 
unto my sorrotv, ^c. Againe, I called for my Lovers, 
but they deceived mee. And Obadiah propheci- ^ ^ ^^ 
eth against Edom for their cruelty, and want of 
compassion with their brethren of ludah in the day of 
their distresse. When Christ is any way afflicted, hee 
expecteth to be pittied, and will openly condemn ^^^^^^^ ^^ 
them before all the world that omit this duty. 

And 



82 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



-^S- 



And that parabolicall speech of Christ to the Jewes, ofi! 

^ , children sittino; in the Market place, and caUinoi; 

liuke 7. 32. 

"' one to another, and saying ; Wee have mourned^^^ 

to you and yee have not wept^ is taken from this ground , 

that it is matter of just complaint, if when friends doe 

mourne, their fcllowes doe not weepe. 

But the Scriptures are expresse in the command of this 

syynjyathy. Rejoyce ivith them that rejoyce^ audi 

iveepe with them that weepe ; he of the same mind ' 

one toward another. When the Apostle had said, Let ■ 

brotherly love continue; in the verses following hee in-- 

stanceth in two duties thereof ; first, iyi enter- 

Ileb. 13.1,2,3 . . n T- 7 . 

taming strangers ; secondlj. In remembering 

those that are in bonds ^ as bound with them, and them that 

suffer adversity as being our selves also in the same body. 

God doth then expressly require this part of brotherly love. 

The Doctrine is cleare enough, It is the part of true friends, 

^ 4^0. A friend loveth at all times, and, a brother 

Prov. 17. 17. r T \. n . 

IS oor7iejor adversity. 



Reasons. 

Because they are members of the same body ; the Rea- 
son intimated by the Apostle, Remember them that are in 
adversity, as being your selves also in the same body. 
Now it is the part of one member to fellow-feele with 
another. When the Sliunamites son was sick, especially 
in one part, his whole body complained, saying. 
My head, my head. This made David to say, 
for my brethren and companions sake, I will say, peace be 
within thee. He desired the peace of Jerusalem, 
~~' "^'because of his brethren and companions there, 
who were as it were, bone of his bone. 2. It 



hooke's sermon in 1640. 83 



It is a great lightning of the afflictions of brethren to 
)e bemoaned by brethren and friends in time of affliction. 
''^olamen miseris socios, ^c. sociall sorrowes doe some- 
vhat solace the miserable. Which we see in lerusalems 
omplaint, for want of pity from her Lovers, and lohs (at 
ast) from his friends. Now it is the part of friends and 
'ellowes to beare one anothers burdens. Yea it is of the Law 
)f Christ, which is the Law of Love. And sure- ^ , „ ^ 
y if a man doth but see his horse over-burdened, 
lee will run presently and lighten the loade that is upon 
lim. 

5. Againe ; Consider that it may bee the case of friends 
themselves, who then would bee glad to be sympathized 
svith. A man that hath friends, saith Solomon ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ 
nust carry hhnselfe friendly. Hee may soone 
;ls loose his friends when hee expects to be dealt with 
friendly by them. One reason why mercy rejoyeeth against 
mdgement, is because as it hath yeelded mercy to others 
in time of judgement, so now it expects the same from 
them in like case. 

Lastly, It is an easie service of Love. It cost lohs 
friends but httle to come and bestow their teares and their 
sorrowes upon him. What can a friend do lesse ? true 
friendship and brotherhood goes further, it will, 
nay it must, if need be, lay downe its life for the 
brethren. 



Vse. 



1. Before I come to the maine use which I ayme at, I 
will speake a few words, by way of Information, to shew 
how farre they are from being friends or brethren, who 

are 



1 Joh. 3, IG 



84 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

are ready to rejojce at the afflictions and miseries of oth- 
ers. A right Edomitish quaUty ; for Edom re- 
jo jced over the children of ludali in the day of' 
their destruction, and spake proudly in the day of their) 
distresse : and these were a cursed generation. And in-f 
deed the Psalmist implyes it to bee a property^ 
' "of abjects thus to doe : In mine adversity they 
rejoyced^ and gathered themselves together^ yea the objects^. 
(i. e. the cast-wayes) gathered themselves together. And I 
it is commonly observed, that men and Tvomen who have 
turned AYitches, and been in league with the devill, there- 
by to doe mischiefe, are never given over so to doe, till 
they begin to have an evill eye, which grieve th at the pros- 
perity, and rejoyceth at the misery of others. Hence: 
Witchcraft is described by an evill eye. 

I know not what eye hath bewitched my young Lambes.| 
And when any are bewitched, it is a phrase off 
ffroWasSpeech among many to say, they are over-seene,;, 
mihifascinanti^ ^, lookt upon with a malicious eye. Nay, it 
is the property of the devill to bee thus affected. 
Mans prosperity is his paine, and mans adversity his re- 
joycmg, as wee see in loh ; neither is there (scarce) any-j 
thing that doth more import the seed of the Serpent in a] 
man, then this same ETnx(xiQ8y.aiii(x, rejoycing in the evil 
and misery of another. It is then the property of Edom- 
ites, abjects, witches and devills, to rejoyce in the misery 
that befalleth others. And though I am not able to charge ' 
any of you with this cursed affection, 3^et I doe wish you 
to lookc into your owne hearts ; for this I am sure, here are 
strong temptations sometimes, leading towards it in this 
Land, which when they meete with an heart voyd of grace, 
must needs stirre up the disposition in it, and not only 

emulations 



hooke's sermon in 1640. 85 

emulations and envyings, but witchcraft it selfe is a worke 
of the flesh. 

2, But the use that I doe principally intend, is of Exhor- 
tation to YOU all, as you desire to approve your 
selves the true friend and brethren of your deare 
Country-men in old England^ to condole with them this 
day in their afflictions. lohs friends, you see, did it for 
him seven dayes and seven nights, i. e. many dayes. 
let us doe it then this one day ; at least, for these. 

Indeed when we looke upon our selves at this time in 
this Land, the Lord hath given us great cause of rejoyce 
ing, both in respect of civill and spirituall peace. God 
hath at once subdued the proud Pequots and the proud 
opinions that rose up in this Land : and for plenty, never 
had the Land the like. Yea, which is much better, the 
Word of God growes and multiplyeth ; the 
Churches have rest throughout the whole land, ^c?3^9 si. 
and are edified, and walking in the feare of the 
Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost, are multiply ed. 
This is much, and more it would ba, if the edge of these 
and other our comforts w^ere not this day turned by the 
feare of civill strifes and combustions in the land of our 
^Nativity, which doe not a little abate the sweetnesse of all 
other our happinesse to us, and call for Lamentation and 
sackecloth at our hands. 

When Artaxejwes said unto JVehemiaJi, Why ^^ , 
%% tliy countenance sad^ seeing thou art 7iot sicice f 
Have you not read the answer? Why should not my coun- 
tenance he sad, when the City, the place of my Fathers 
sepulchres lyes vjast, J' the gates thereof are consumed 
tvithfire? Why ? Nehemiah was well enough at ease, he 
had honour, and power, and favour, anl pleasure enough, 
I 8 and 



86 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

and being the Kings Cup-bearer, bee bad Wine enough of - 
all sorts at bis command, which maketh glad the heart of : 
man. But what is all this not to cloud his countenance, . 
and overcast it with griefe and sorrow, when the Citj of, 
bis Fathers w^as lajd wast, and the gates thereof consum- • 
ed with fire ? Thus beloved, if our comforts were treble 
to what they are this day, yet could it not but much abate ■ 
the sweetnesse of them, to consider wdiat distresses may.l 
lie at this time upon our native Countrcy, for ought we|> 
know, and to have too just cause to feare. When the 
Arke and Israel and Judah abode in tents, and Joah and . 
his men were encamped in the open fields, Vriah 
tooke no comfort in his beautifull wife, nor in his- 
bouse, nor in his meate and drinke. 

Let us therefore, I beseech you, lay aside the thoughts^ 
of all our comforts this day, and let us fasten our eyes 
upon the calamities of our brethren in old England^ calam-- 
ities, at least, imminent calamities dropping, swords that: 
have hung a long time over their heads by a twine thread, . 
judgements long since threatned as foreseene by many of( 
Gods Messengers in the causes, though not foretold by ai 
Spirit prophetically guided ; heavy judgements in all prob-^ 
ability, when they fall, if they are not fallen already. And! 
not to looke upon the occasions given on the one side or; 
the other, betweene the two Sister iSTations : (Sister Na-^ 
tions ? ah, the word woundeth,) let us looke this day sim- 
ply on the event, a sad event in all likelihood, the dividing 
of a King from his Subjects, and him from them, their 
mutuall taldng up of Armes in opposition and defence ; 
the consequences, even the gloomy and darke consequen- 
ces thereof, are killing and slaying, and sacking and burn- 
ing, and robbing, and rifling, cursing and blaspheming, &c. 

If 



iiooke's sermon in 1640, 87 

If you sliould but see War re described to you in a Map, 
especially in a Countrey, Tvell knowne to you, nay dearely 
beloved of you, where you drew your first breath, where 
once, yea where lately you dwelt, where you have received 
ten thousand mercies, and have many a deare friend and 
Countrey-man and kinsman abiding, how could you but 
lament and moume ? 

Warre is the conflict of enemies enraged with bloo<:Iy 
revenge, wherein the parties opix»site carry their hves in 
their hands, every man turning prodigall of his very heart 
blood, and willmg to be killed to kill. The instruments 
are clashing swords, ratling speares, skul-dividing Hol- 
berds, murthering pieces, and thundering Cannons, from 
whose mouthes proceed the fire, and smell, and smoake, 
and terrour, death, as it were, of the very bottomlesse pit. 
Wee wonder now and then at the sudden death of a man : 
alas, you might there see a thousand men not onely healthy, 
but stout and strong, struck dead in the twinckling of an 
eye, their breath exhales without so much as. Lord Itave 
mercy upon us. Death heweth its way thorow a wood of 
men in a minute of time from the mouth of a murderer, 
turning a forrest into a Champion suddenly ; and when it 
hath used these to slay their opix>sit-es, thc}^ are recom- 
penced with the like death themselves. O^the shrill eare- 
'piercing clangs of the Trum2?ets^ noise of Drums ^ the an- 
imating voyces of Horse Captaines, and Commanders^ 
learned and learning to destroy ! There is the undaunted 
Horse ivhose neck is clothed tvith tlmnder^ and the glory of 
ivhose nostrills is terrible ; hotv doth hee lye pa2i'i?? rjr and 
praunsing in the valley^ going forth to meete the armed 
Quen? he mocks at feare^ stcallotving the ground with 
Her cenesse mid rage ^ and saying among the trumpets, Ha, 

Ha, 



THE MINISTRY OJb' TAUNTON. 



Job39,i9,20 Jla^ hee smels the hattell afar off, the thunder of 
the Captaines and the shouting. Here ride some 
dead men swagging in their deepe saddles ; there fall 
others alive upon their dead Horses ; death sends a mes- 
sage to those from the month of the Muskets, these it 
talkes with face to face, and stabs them in the fift rib : In 
yonder file there is a man hath his arme struck off from 
his shoulder, another bj him hath lost his leg ; here stands 
a Soldier with halfe a face, there fights another upon his 
stumps, and at once both kils and is killed ; not far off 
lies a company wallowing in their sweat and goare ; such 
a man whilst he chargeth his Musket is discharg'd of his 
life, and falls upon his dead fellow. Every battell of the 
warriour is with confused noise and o;arment3 

Isa. 9 6.. ^ 

rouled in blood. Death reignes in the field, and 
is sure to have the day which side soever fiills. In the 
meane while (0 formidable I) the infernall fiends follow the 
Campe to catch after the soules of rude nefarous souldiers 
(such as are commonly men of that calling) who fight them- 
selves fearlesly into the mouth of hell for revenge, a booty 
or a little revenue. How thicke and three-fole doe they 
speed one another to destruction ? A day of battell is a 
day of harvest for the devill. 

All this while, the poore wife and tender children sit 
weeping together at home, having taken their late fare- 
well of the harnessed husband and father (0 it was a sad 
^partinor if you had seen it !) never lookins; to 

I Sam. 4, 17^ x.^ sy • • i i i xi 

see nis iace agame, as mdeed many and the 
most of them never doe ; for anon comes Ely^s messenger 
from, the Camp saying. There is a great slaughter among 
the people, and your husband is dead, your father is dead, 
hee was slaine in an hot fght, hee was shot dead hi the 

place 



hooke's sermon in 1640. 89 



place ^ never spake a zvord more. Then the poore widow 
who fed jet upon a crumb of hope, teares her haire from 
her head, rends her cloths, wrings her hands, lifts up her 
vojce to Heaven, and weeps like Hachell that would not bee 
comfortod, her children hang about her crying and saying, 
O my father is slaine, my father is dead, I shall never see 
my father more ; and so they cry and sob and sigh out their 
afflicted soules, and breake their hearts together. Alas, 
alas ! this is yet but Warre thorow a Crevise. Beloved, doe 
but consider ; There is many times fire without warre, and 
famme and pestilence without warre, but war is never with- 
out them ; and there are many times robberies without 
war, and murthering of passengers, ravishing of matrons, 
deflouring of virgins, cruelties and torments, and sometimes 
barbarous and inhumane practices without war, but war 
goes seidome or never without them. 

W Sivve, it IS onalum complexum, 2iComi^onnd 0^ 
Judgements, a mixt misery, the cup in the hand 
of the Lord, the wine whereof is red, and it isfidl of mix- 
ture. The Wine is indeed as red as blood, and the ingre- 
dients are fire, famine, pestilence, murthcrs, robberies, 
rapes, deflourings, cruelties, torment, with many other 
miseries. The voyce of melody ceaseth, relation that were 
lately the comfort and noAv become the griefe of 
the life of men ; the high ivayes are unoccupied, 14^^^' ' ' 
the travellers ivalhe thorow hy wayes, the Inhab- 
itants of the villages cease, and the noise of the Archers 
is heard in the places of draiving ivater. Warre, it is the 
immediate hand of such whose tenderest mercies 

T , , f2 Sam. 24,14 

are cruelties, commonly thereiore the last 01 
Gods Stroakes upon them that will take no warning. But 
yet there is difierence in warres ; a warre in the borders 
8* of 



90 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

of an enemy is held better than a warre in ones native 
Countrej ; for commonly, the Land that is as the 
Garden of Eden before an enemy, behind them 
is like a desolate Wildernesse ; and it is very wofull when 
people and land shall be wasted together. Or if it bee 
warre in our owne Land, yet a warre against a forr eigne 
enemy invadmg, is farre better than a civiil warre. It is: 
grievous, but not admirable, to see an Egyptian and an 
Hebrew contending, but to see, as the Prophett 
sayth, Egyptians against Egyptians, and every 
one fighting against his brother, and against his neighbour, 
City against City, and Kmgdome against Kingdome ; or 
^0 see, as the same Prophet saith, 3Ianasseh against 
Epliraim and Ephraim against 3Ianasseh, and! 
both against Iiidali ; 0, this is both lamentable and won- 
derfull ! The mad Souldier in the heat of his blood, andl 
the depth of his Atheisme, may account it perhaps- 
16.°^ ' ^^ fi^'^^ "^i^^ Ahner but a play to see Israelites' 
catching of Israelites by the beard, and thrusting: 
their swords into one anothers sides : but of all warres- 
none so bloody, neither hath any play such bitternesse in 
the end. 

It is a sad play, wherein not only mens goods, and bod- 
ies, and soules, doe commonly lye at stake, but wherein 
also even the very Conquerour is conquered, as one that 
played but for his owne money, and at such a desperate 
play, whose very gaines are loosings. No warres so cru- 
el!, so unnaturall, so desolating, as Civiil warres. You 
have heard, Beloved, of the dreadfull German-warres ; 
why if there bee any in our owne Countrey this day, I may 
call them German-warres, because they are the warres of 
Germans, even the bloody contentions of brethren ; and 

when 



hooke's sermon in 1640. 91 



^vhen relations turne opposites, nothing more opposite. A 
Kingdom at warres with a forreigne enemy may stand, but a 
Kingdome divided against it selfe, can never ; pg,^| ^22 7 
there can never bee prosperity within Ierusale7ns 
pallaces, if first there bee not peace within her 
wals. Unity and peace are a bond, and where that is broken, 
there must needs follow dissolution. 

When the PJiilistins went beating downe one another, 
the multitude Tmarke the word") melted aivay. ^ , . , «. 

^ . iSam. 14, 16 

A thing never consumes faster, then when it 

falls to melting : and how doe such weaken themselves for 

an enemy without, and fight for the conquest of some for- 

reime adversary ; Gideons men may stand still 

• 1.- 1 1 \rA- -i Judg. 7,21,20 

every man m his place, so long as Midiamtes Chron. 22.2 

turne their swords against Midianites. Neither 
needs leJiosaiyhat strike a stroke, when the Moabites, Am- 
monites and Edomites his enemies, He in ambush one 
against another ; first 3Ioah and Ammon fighting against 
Edom^ and then Moah and Ammon one against another* 
And what was the issue of the eleven Tribes ^ , ^ 

. , Judg. 21.2,3,6. 

warres with their brother Benjamin, but lam- 
entation, mourning and woe ? And yet too among civill 
warres ; some are worse than other. I have 
read, I remember, in Jbucan, of warres betweene discor'dia d- 
Ccesar and Pompey worse than civill ; and such ^'^sPerduxit 

■^ y , . viiseres. 

especially are mutining warres, when there is Bellaper 
little trust to either side, and friends are scarce piusquam^ 
knowne from foes, but all things are filled with civilia cam- 
conjurations, treacheries, distractions, factions, 
feares, suspicions, tumults, combustions, spoylings, &c. 
The Lord be mercifull to old England, as hitherto hee 
hath beene, yea more than to any Land this day under the 

Sunne 



92 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Simne, which indeed heightneth its sins above the Sunne,j 
and makes it more sinfull then any Land at this time init 
the whole World, insomuch, that we cannot but yeeld thatj 
there are no warres that En glands sinnes have not deserv-i 
ed. Let us therefore feare the worst at this present in| 
behalfe of our deare Countrey-men (considering also whatj 
ill tydings we have heard thence) that nothing, as weej 
doubt, but a miracle of divine power and mercy can pre-j 
serve them from the miseries of the devouring 
sword. I remember what the auxiliaries otj 
Egypt said in their distresse, Arise^ mid let us goe againe\ 
unto our i^ople^ and to the Land of our Nativitie from the\ 
op2)ressiyig stvord ; but if wee were now mider that misery^ 
I doubt it would be in vaine for us to say the like. Buti 
that which wee are now called unto, is brotherly Compas-i 
sion, and to doe the part of lohs friends in my Text, to sit] 
astonished, as at the crying sinnes, so at the feared sor-l 
rowes of our Countrymen, for in all probability, their griefe^ 
is very great. i 

To this end, you may think a while upon these particu-| 
lars. ! 

1. Of our civill relation to that Land, and the Inhabi-| 
tants therein. There is no Land that claimes our name,j 
but England^ wee are distinguished from all the Nationsi 
in the world by the name of English. There is no Poten- 
tate breathing, that wee call our dread Soveraigne, but 
King Charles , nor Lawes of any Land have civilized, 
us but Englands ; there is no Nation that calls us Coun-I 
trey-men but the English, Brethren ! Did wee not therei 
draw in our first breath ? Did not the Sunne first shine 
there upon our heads ? Did not that Land first beare us, 
even that pleasant Island, but for sinne, I would say, that: 
Garden of the Lord, that Paradise ? Withall 



hooke's sermon in 1G40. 93 

Withall, let us thinke upon our natural! relations to 

lany in that Land. Some of you, I know, hare Fathers 

nd Mothers there, some of you have Brethren and Sisters, 

thers of you have Uncles and Aunts there, and near 

insfolke. All these sitting in griefe and sorrow, chal- 

m^e our svmpathize ; and it is a fearfull sinne ^ , ^, 
» ' ^ ' . Eom. 1. 31. 

3 bee voyd of naturall affections : nature 
rrought in Abraham^ as well as grace, when ^"" ^^" 
is nephew Lot was taken captive by the foure Kings. 

But which is more, let us remember how (for many of 
is) wee stand in a spirituall relation to many, yea very 
lany in that Land. The same threed of grace is spunne 
horow the hearts of all the godly under Heaven. Such a 
ne there is, in thy spirituall Father, hee begot thee in 
Christ Jesus thorow the Gospell ; and there thou ,, 

Mat. 13. 50. 

ast spirituall Brethren and Sisters and Mothers. 
) there is many a sweet, loving, humble, heavenly soule 
n that Land, in whose bosome Christ breathes by his bles- 
ed Spirit every day, and such as I hope wee shall ever 
qve at the remotest distance, were it from one end of the 
larth unto the other. Why, they are bone of our bone, 
md flesh of our flesh in Christ, nearer by farre then our 
riends, and kindred, oh let their sorrowes be our sorrowes, 
!ind their miseries ours. 

L Besides these relations, civill, naturall, spirituall, let 
lis thinke upon the speciall tyes and engagements that 
nany there have upon us. Among your friends there, 
[vhether naturall or spirituall, there are no doubt, some 
:here, whom you prize above the rest. if you could but 
5ee them, your soules would hardly stay within your bodies 
for running forth to meete them ; At least, you would 
strive to incorporate your selves into them by the closest 

embraces. 



94 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

embraces. Alas, these now, perhaps, are weeping in their 
secret places, these are now sitting with loh among the 
ashes. If you could but see the expressions of their sor- 
rowes, and heare their present speeches and complaints ; 
and how they, their wives and httle ones doe sit and la- 
ment together, it may bee some of them m expectation of 
daily death, and how they fast and pray, and afflict their 
soules, or how, peradventure, they wish themselves at this 
very instant with us ; you would weepe and cry, and 
melt away into teares of sorrow. 

5. To this adde the Consideration of the manv mercies, 
heapes of rich and precious mercies, tv^enty, yea thirty 
and forty yeares mercies, and to some more, which wee 
have there received ; especially soule-mercies. There the 
light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Jesus first shined 
forth unto thee ; there first thou heardst his pleasant voyce, 
there did his good Spirit first breath upon thine heart ; 
there didst thou first beleeve and repent, and amend thy 
lewd wayes. And never was there a Land, I thmk, since 
Christ and his Apostles left the World, so richly blest in 
converts, or that ever brought forth such and so many 
worthies into the World. Yet there now (alas indeed, 
where sooner, when smne aboundeth ?) doth Judgement 
begin to reigne, as we may greatly feare ? 

6. Or is it not meete that we should bear a part with 
them in their sorrowes, who have borne a part with them 
in their sinnes ? Have wee conferred so many sinnes as 
wee have done to speed on their confusion, and shall wee 
bestow no sorrow on them ? Shall wee not helpe to quench 
the fire with our teares, that wee have kindled with our 
sinnes ? cruell ! How know wee but that the Lord is at 
this instant visiting our transgressions there acted, which 

polluted 



iiooke's sermon in 1640. 95 

polluted the Land ? Beloved, did wee not commit there ten 
thousand millions of sinnes and more amongst us during 
our aboad there ? There, there, wee played the ungodly 
Atheists, there it was wee halted betweene God and Baal, 
sware by the Lord and by Malchom, were neither hot nor 
cold ; there some of us blasphemed the dreadfull name of 
the ever blessed God, polluted his Sabbaths, despised his 
messengers, contemned his holy wayes, prophaned and 
abused his mercies, and his good creatures, ran with others 
to the same excesse of riot, &c. And how ever some may 
say, they have repented hereof, yet little doe they know 
what evill examples they have left there behind to fill up 
the measure both of sin and wrath. If thy sinnes commit- 
ted there bee pardoned, yet thy sinnes may bee punished, 
like as a Eather may be spared, and yet his children exe- 
cuted. 

Thy sinnes, man, have begotten many sins there ; 
there is many a formalist, and many a conformitant the 
more for thee, as indeed I feare there is for mee. Alas, 
how have they kept on sinning upon our examples ? Anoth- 
ers drunkennesses have begotten many a drunkard there, 
as anothers spirituall cowardize many a Nicodemite, and 
anothers Lukewarmnesse many a Laedicean. Now, doe 
wee feare that the Lord is gone forth this day to call that 
Land to an account, and to visit for these and the like 
abominations, and is this nothing unto us ? Shall men be 
slame for our sinnes, and we afford them no sorrow ? 
What ? Shall the old Prophet in Betliel rise up in judge- 
ment against us ? for when hee had slaine the 

^ ^ -, , ^ • ^ ' IT IT T-2 King 13,30 

man ot Uod by ms lymg and dissemblmg to him 
hee yet mourned and lamented over him, saying, Alas, my 
Brother. Ah, my friends and brethren, let us doe the 

like ; 



96 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

like ; our sinnes have slaine, perhaps bj this time, a little 
Army of men, what can wee lesse then lament over them, 
saying, Alas, Alas, our Brethren! Surely, wee in this 
Land have great cause to doe as wee doe this day, if for 
no other respect, yet for this ; for wxe have done enough 
and enough to overwhelme old England with the wrath of 
God ; that our hearts at this time could bee but overshad- 
owed with a Cloud of sorrow ! 

Againe ; let us suppose that things were even now turn- 
ed end for end, and that wee were this day in distresse, 
and those our brethren in peace ; I am confident, that they 
would condole wdth us, yea and powre out many a prayer 
for us ; for they did as much, I know, when this Land lay 
sometimes unto dearth, another time when the Indians re- 
belled, a third, when the monstrous opinions prevailed. 
And how have they alwayes listened after our w^elfare, 
ebbing and flowing in their affections with us ? How doe 
they (I meane all this while, multitudes of well affected 
persons there) talke of Neio-England with delight ! How 
much nearer Heaven doe some of their charities account 
this Land, then any other place they heare of in the world ? 
Such is their good opinion of us ! How have some among 
them desired to dye, if they might not be vouchsafed to 
live in this Land ? And when sometimes a Neiv-England 
man returnes thither, how is hee lookt upon, lookt after, 
received, entertained, the ground hee walks upon beloved 
for his sake, and the house held the better v,"here hee is ? 
how are his words listened to, laid up, and related fre- 
quently when hee is gone ? neither is any love or kind- 
nesse held too much for such a man. 
8. Neither let this be forgotten, that of all the Christian 
people this day in the World, w^ee in tliis Land enjoy the 

greatest 



iiooke's sermon in 1640. 97 

greatest measure of peace and tranquillity. Wee have 
beaten our swords into plough-shares and our speares into 
pruning hookes, when others have beaten their pruning 
hookes into speares, and their plough-shares into swords. 
And now, as Moses sayd to the Reubenites and 

.1 ^-^ T, r/7 77 7 7 Num. 32, 6. 

the Uadites, ^liatl your bretlireyi goe to tvarre, 
and shall yee sit still? So shall our brethren goe to warre, 
and w^e sit still, and not so much as grieve with them ? 
shall the J bee wounded w^ith the sword and speare, and 
not we pierced so much as with brotherly sorrow ? Surely 
then, if ever the Lord should bring the like houre of temp- 
tation upon us, as his people here have not beene long 
hitherto without exercise, he might justly shut us out of 
the hearts of all our brethren in the World. And where- 
as too perhaps here and there one in our native Land, es- 
pecially in their passions, may have had some transient 
thoughts, touching, it may bee, some of us, as if the exor- 
bitant spirit of John and James were in us, desirous that 
fire from Heaven should fall upon them, as if, I meane, 
we would be glad to heare of Judgements upon our native 
Countrey (0 cruell, and unnaturall !) our fellow-feelings 
this day, I hope, shall wipe away all such prejudices. 
And truly, if Gods Justice might be satisfied wdth that 
Lands amendment w^ithout one drop of blood, though w^e 
should shed store both of teares and blood to effect it, wee 
would greatly rejoice, and soone turn this day of Humilia- 
tion into a day of gratulation, praise and thanksgiving. 
9. What shall I say ? If there should be any 
one heart here digd out of a Marpesian rock, let 
such an one remember, lastly, that in the peace of that 
Land, we shall have peace, and therefore in the misery of 
that Land, wee shall never bee happy. You know^, that 
9 * God 



98 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



God hath hitherto made that Land a blessmg unto this ; 
If Christ hath a Vine here, that Land hath as yet beene | 
the Elme that hath sustained it. Thence hath the Lord 1 1 
thus stockt this American part with such Worthies there jj^ 
were they bred and nurst, thence hitherto have beene our 
yearly supphes of men, and of many anusefull commodity. |!^ 
If then they suffer, we may easily smart ; if they sinke, !;' 
wee are not likely to rise. And this, at least, may be a jr 
perswasive to a sordide minde, that w411 not be wrought [ / 
upon by more ingenious Arguments. 

The mercifull God stir up all our affections, and give us 
that godly sympathy, which that Land deserveth at our 
hands, and teach us to expresse it upon all occasions of ill 
ty dings coming to our eares from thence. Yea, let us sit 
at this time like old Ely upon the wayes side, 
watching, as he did, for the Arke of the Lord, j 
with a tremblino; hand and heart. And let us bee every 

w 

day confessing of our old Englands sinnes, of its high 
pride. Idolatry, superstition, blasphemies, blood, cruelties, 
Atheismes, &c. And let us never goe to our secrets w^ith- 
out our Censors in our hands for old England; deare 
England still in diverse respects, left indeed by us in our 
persons, but never yet forsaken in our affections. The 
good God of Heaven have mercy upon it, and upon all his 
deare people and servants in it, for Christ his sake. Amen. 



FINIS. 



m^ 



wn 






New-Eiigiands Sence, 

OF 

OLD-ENGLAND 



AND 



JRELANDS 



SORROWES 



^(^ 



'W 



ill 

m 



A Sermon Preached upon a day of 

generall Humiliation in the Churches of 

New-England. 

In the behalfe of Old-England and Irelands 
Sad condition. 

By William Hooke, Minister of 

GODS Word at Taunton in 
New-England. 






Intrusted in the hands of a worthy Member of the Honou- 
rable House of Commons, who desired it might be 
Printed. 



M 



Impimaiiir Joseth Caryl. 



jjB 






LONDON, 

Printed by John Rothivell^ at the Signe of the Sunne 
in Paw/s-Church-jard, 1645. 



^m 



NEW 

ENGLANDS SENCE, 



OF 

', A 

SORROWES. 



OLD England, AND Irelands 



2 Sam: 10. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. 

6 And ichen the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, 
the children o/' Ammon sent and hired the Syrians q/'Beth-Rehob, at^d the 
Syrians of Zoha, tiventy thousand footme7i, and of King Maacha a thou- 
sand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand footmen. 

7 And when David heard of it, he sent loab, and all the host of the 
mightij men. 

8 And the Children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at 
the entring in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and 
Ishtob, and Maach, loere by themselves in the field. 

9 }V7ien loab saw that the front of the battle teas against him before and 
behind, he chose of all the choice men o/ Israel, and ^mt them in array against 
the Syrians. 

10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his 
brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. 

11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shah helpe 
me : but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come 
and helpe thee. 

12 Bee of good courage, and let us play the men, for our people, and the 
Cities of our God ; and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good. 

^^^^^^He occasion of this warre was this. Nahash 
% ^H^ ^ ^^® King of Ammon (he who once demanded 
\ ^fl> 'k ^^® right ejes of the Grileadites, and to lay 
^l^^ft^^ it as a reproach upon all Is7*ael, vipon condi- 
tion of covenanting with them) is now^ dead. He had 
been, it seemes, a friend to David, in opposition, probably, 
to Said who was an enemy to them both. David looked 
at the expressions of his love, and left his heart to him that 
searched it, accounting it an office of humanity to comfort 
him concerning the death of his Father. His kindness is 
misconstrued by the Princes of the children of Ammouy 
9* wio 



102 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Avlio detracting from the sjncere intentions of upright Da- 
vid, hasten to their King and fill him full of jealousie an 1 
prejudice against David, as if he had not sent Embassa- 
dors, but Spies ; not Conforters, but Trajtors. The young 
King is overthrowne in the entrance of his government by 
evill Counsellors, whose suggestions he receives in stead of 
the comfort o^ Davids Embassadors, which cost him deare. 
His Counsellors were indeed his Tray tors, not the Messen- 
gers. Alas, how fearefuUy is the King misguided in the 
threshold of his raigne, by such who should have better 
advised him? It is well said of a Byshop upon these 
w^ords ; Haiipie is that State, ivliere both the Counsellors 
are faithfidl to give onely good advice, and the King wise 
to discerne good advice from evill. 

But what doth ITanan doe ? He takes the servants of 
David and shaves off the one half of their beards, and cuts 
off their garments in the middle, and sends them away. 
The newes of it is brought to David, who sends to meet 
them ; because they were greatly ashamed, and he said. 
Tarry at lericJio untill your beards be growne, and then 
returne. 

And when the children of Ammon saio that they stanke 
before David, they sent and hired the Syrians, ^c. 

In the words, there is, first, A preparation for warr by 
the Ammonites against David. Secondly, Davids addres- 
sing himselfe for an encounter. 

In Ammons preparations, there is. First, The ground 
of it, which was ; because they saiu that they stayihe before 
David. Secondly, The hyring of Auxiliaries out of Syria, 
and that at a deare rate, viz. For a thousand talents of 
silver, 1 Chron. 19. 6. 

In Davids addresse for encounter, we have, first, his 

send- 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 103 

sending of loah^ with all the host of the mightj^ men. 
Secondly, The subtiltie of the Ammonites^ who were so 
wise as to devide their forces, and to leave the Syrians to 
fight in the open fields, whom thej durst not trust at the 
entrance in of their Cities, while themselves put the bat- 
taile in array before the gates, that so also they might (if 
need were) have opportunity to retire. Thirdly, The 
wisdome of loah in ordering the battell the best way, in 
the strait he was in. Fourthly, a covenant of mutuall as- 
sistance between loah and Abishai, as need should require. 
Fiftly, loahs words of encouragement to AhisJiai, yea 
and to himselfe. Be of good courage^ ^-^ let us play the 
7nen, ^c. Which are the words that I have especially 
lookt at for the occasion of this day. But some things I 
shall briefly observe in the w^ay to them. 
1. First, for the ground of Ammons preparations; They 
saw that they did stinke before David, by reason of the 
abuse they had done to his Embassadors. Whence we 
may observe. 

Obse7'vation. 

That Indignities and inhumane carriages to Embassa- 
dors of Peace, is that w^hich will make the Enemies of 
GOD to stinke in the nostrils of his People. 

Doe not expect a parallel text for proofs, for such prac- 
tices have bin very rare till of later yeres. There is no 
smne but it stmkes in the nostrils of God, but as for men, 
it must be very grosse before it hath so ill a savour ; and 
such are especially grosse sinnes against the second Table, 
as being committed against the greater light. Of this 
kind I remember for the present but one more in Scripture, 
and that was the bloody treachery of Siyneon and Levi 
against the Secheinites^ to whom therefore their Father 

lacob 



10-i THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



lacoh said, Ye have made 7ne to stinke arnong the inhaU- 
tants of the land, Gen. 3^. 30. For sucli dealings are 
against the light of blindest nature, especially such usage 
of Embassadors, whose name hath ever bin honourable by 
the law of Nations. 

Vse. 
1. First, This gives us to see one speciall cause why the 
Prelats in JEn gland doe this day stmke in the nostrils of 
Gods people, yea of many such as have but little Religion 
in them, there indignities and abuses offered to the Lords 
Embassadors have bin infinite and intollerable. Alas! 
what are the insolencies of Hanun here, to tSeirs ? For 
first, He and his Ammonites never saw the tythe of that 
light that these have done. Ammon saw not the light of 
Israel; nor Israel the fight of England. Secondly, those 
indignities done by Hanun, were far re inferiour unto these. 
For first. He onely cut the beards and garments of these 
Messengers, whose beards grew out againe at lericho, and 
whose garments might be changed for longer ; whereas 
these have pared the Fares of the servants of God, which 
can never grow againe ; and stigmatized the Faces with 
indelible characters. And therefore, secondly, Hanim 
came not so neare to the persons of those Messengers, for 
hee medled onely with beards and garments, the cutting 
off of which shed no blood; whereas these have offered 
bloody mdignities to the Lords Embassadors. Thirdly, 
those Ammonitlsh insolencies brought upon Messengers 
onely a civill inconformity m hayre and vestments to the 
manners of Gods Israel : whereas the practises of these 
men have forced a Spirituall conformity on Gods Minis- 
ters, to the manners of that great Strumpet and Mother 
of whoredomes. Fourthly, Davids messengers were abused 

onelv 



hooive's sermon in 1645. 105 

onelj in Beards and Garments ; but these have been Con- 
vented, Suspended, Deprived, Degraded, Excomunicated, 
Imprisoned, Impillored, Fined, stript of all. Exiled, and 
exposed to great extremities. Thus the indignities con- 
sidered in themselves were farre inferiour unto these. 
Thirdly, Hanun never sinned herein against Conscience, 
as these have done ; for he was misguided by his Princes, 
and so hee knew not that the Messengers were Spies : 
whereas the Prelats have offered horrible indignities to 
many such of whose mtegritie they have themselves first 
given ample testimony. Fourthly, Hanun did nothing 
obstinately, for his Nobles pers waded him ; but with these, 
all the Noble men in the land could not prevaile with that 
Areli Ammonite and his followers, to deale favourably 
with the Lords Embassadors. Fiftly, If we looke upon 
the Messengers, Hanuns inhumanitie was offered to the 
messengers of a mortall Prince, but these men have most 
dreadfully abused the Embassadors of the Prince of the 
Kings of the Earth. For the Lord hath sent his Messen- 
gers to England^ and one they have beaten, another they 
have killed, a third they have stoned ; or that which is as 
bad. Againe, the Lord hath sent more Servants, and 
they have done to them likewise. Lastly, those w^ere sent 
only to minister a little comfort to a man who (it seemes) 
had no great need of it ; but these have been sent to pul> 
lish the Gospell of everlasting Peace to the wearied. 

monsters among men that these Prelats are, tramed 
up by Tygers, whom no incestuous ofspring of Lot can 
parallel by a thousand degrees! that if such Prodigies 
among men doe this day stinke in the nostrils, not of Is- 
raelites onely, but even Ammoiiites also, wee have great 
cause of thankfulnesse, none of wonder. 

2- Secondly, 



106 TI^E MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



2. Secondlj, This may shew us the sad estate of these 
noisome enemies of Christ and his Messengers ; for see- 
ing they are thus unsavory, what are they good for ? What 
use can there be made of unsavory Salt ? It is neither 
fit, saith Christ, for the Lmid, nor for the Bung-hill. It 
is good, saith he, for nothing, but to be cast out, and trod- 
en under foot of men, Math. 5. 13. An unsavory Am- 
monite may be good either for the land or for the dung 
hill. 31oah was troden downe as straw for the dung-hill, 
Isa. 25. 10. But an unsavory Prelate is good for neither, 
as being imsavorie Salt. The most noisome Dung that is, 
is good enough for the dung-hill ; but unsavory Salt is not, 
because it is so farre from making barren land fruitfull, 
that it makes fruitfull land barren. And such salt are the 
enemies of Christs Embassadors, that where-ever a Pre- 
late hath been cast, the place (though fruitfull before) 
hath soone proved barren in Rehgion round about him. 
For as they have no savour of life in themselves, they can- 
not endure either that Minister or People that have : Oh 
what will become of them now, whom the very dunghill 
doth reject ? Who shall lament for them now, saying, Ah 
my brother ; or, ah Lord ; or, ah his glory, when they shall 
be cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem P As for other 
men, though never so vile, or degenerous, that are still 
good enough for the dunghill ; men will find some mean 
imployment or other to put them to. If there be refuse 
people in a land, thou shalt have a drumme beaten up to 
call them together, that they may be sent forth in some 
service against the enemies of the land: whereas these 
want both ability and fidelity for such a service. Yea, 
should they come and crouch for a piece of silver, or a 
morsell of bread, saying, put us into the Priests Ofiice, or 

as 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 107 



as it is rendered after the Original, put us into somewhat 
about the Priesthood, as much as to say, make Parish 
Clarks of us, that we maj eat a peece of bread ; they are 
not fit for it, for they cannot say, Amen, to the prayers of 
Gods people this day. They are not fit to occupy any 
roome in Church or Commomvealth ; they are not fit for 
Pulpit, or Presse, for Church-government, Counsell-Table, 
Parliament, Justiceship, TrafSque, w^ho have thus long 
traded onely for the mother of Whoredome, and who be- 
gin now to weepe and mourne, because no man buyeth their 
Marchanclise any more, Revel. 18. 11. They are not 
then good for warre, nor peace ; for Prince, nor people ; 
for Church nor State : onely being wuser in their Genera- 
tion, then the Children of light, like that wicked Steward 
they have robbed and spoiled, and feathered their nests, 
before they were turned out of their Stew^ardships, as being 
conscious to themselves, that digge I cannot, and to begg 
they are ashamed. 

3. Thirdly, This should make us this day more earnest 
with God for England, that he w^ould purge the Land of 
this filth ; for otherwise how noysome will that Countrey 
be wherem there are so many unsavory creatures. Not 
that we desire any other purging of them, then their de- 
posing and repentance for their horrible indignities, and 
inhumanities to the Embassadours of the King of Kings. 
And thus much for the gromids of Aminons Preparations 
to muster up Forces against David, because they saw, that 
they stanJce before him. 

Secondly, we have their hiring of Auxiliaries to defend 
them in their wdckednesse : They sent and hyred the Syr- 
ians of Beth-Rehob, and the Syyians of Zoba, S,-e. 

Obser- 



108 THE MIXISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Observation. 

When wicked men are come to that height of simie, 
that they stinck in the nostrils of Gods people, they will 
rather dje, then confesse and repent of their wickednesse. 

We have the like example in the Benjamites against 
the eleven Tribes. And it is made good this day in the 
Prelates against England. For wheras they should have 
put sackcloth on their loines, and ropes upon their 
necks, and gone to the King and Parliament, saying ; Your 
servants say^ ive p^ay you let us live ; they have stood out 
rebelliously, and protested against Parhamentary proceed- 
ings. Nay, their monies have gone most profusely for the 
hiring of Syrians^ and the maintenance of warres against 
the /Scots, calling it, Bellum Episcopale; The Bishops 
ivarre. It was 1000. talents of silver that the Ammonites 
expended to hire helpe against the Israel of God, when 
first they had ofifred them such a monstrous indignity : But 
how many thousand talents these have disbursed and col- 
lected among themselves, and their Clergy, and Popishly 
affected partie, it is not easie for to say. For, The Angell 
of the Lord hath poured out his viall upon their jSu71, and 
they have been scorched tvith great heat, and have blas- 
phemed the name of the Lord which hatli poiver over these 
Plagues; and they have 7wt repented to give him glory, 
Rev. 16. 8. 9. 

But whom now doe the Ammonites hire ? but a sort of 
flagitious Pagans, that neither looked into the price of 
other mens blood, their own soules, or the justnesse of the 
cause ? A thousand talents have soone bought them to 
fight the battels of the Devill ao;ainst the Lord of Hosts. 

Observation. 

There is no cause so wicked or deplored, but money will 

hire 



hooke's sermon in 1G45. 109 

hire some mercinarily minded to abet, vrho wil damne 
their soules for a httle -silver. And how many such there 
have been even in the Christian world, the Prelates better 
know then wee. What forlorne creatures, Papists^ Athe- 
ists^ Neuters^ and mongrell Protestants, had thej procur- 
ed to fight against the Scottish Nation ? When wicked 
men are conscious to the insufficiency of their cause, they 
muster up the greater forces, and place their affiance in 
the arme of flesh ; that what innocence here could not doe, 
three and thirty thousand Pagans joyned to the forces of 
Ammon shall. But thus much shall suffice to be spoken 
of Ammons Preparations, both their ground and helps. 
2. Secondly, in Davids providing to encounter them, we 
have. First, his sending of loab, with all the Host of the 
mighty men. David, you see, is sencible of the horrible 
abuses done to his Embassadors. 

Observation, 
Indignities offered to Embassadors, redound to their 
King, who cannot be insensible thereof, especially, they 
being Embassadours of Peace. 

And thus it is with God ; as it is written, The Lord 
Grod of their Fathers sent to them by his messengers, ris- 
ing up betimes, and sending, because he had compasion on 
his people, and on his dtuelling place : but they mocked the 
Messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused 
his Prophets, untill the ivrath of the Lord arose, and there 
was no remedy. TJierefore he brought upon them the King 
of the Caldees, who slew the young men tvith the sivord in 
the house of their Sanctuary, and had no compassion upon 
young man or mayden, oM man, or him that stooped for 
age; he gave them all unto his hand. 2 Chro. 36. X5, 16, 
17. And now under the Gospell; When thp Ljord of the 
10 Vine- 



110 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

Vineyard sends his servants to the Hushandmeji, and the 
Husbandmen heat one^ and kill another^ and stone a third; 
and when hee sends yet more servants^ and they doe unto 
them likeivise; surely he ivill miserably destroy those wick- 
ed men, and will let out his Vineyard to other Husband- 
men, which shall render him the fruits in their season, 
Matth. 21. 33. 

Beloved ! Christ is this day sensible of all the abuses 
that have been offered by the Prelats to his Messengers. 
How often hath he cryed from heaven, if that poore soule 
had not been utterly deafe, Laud, Laud, why persecutest 
thou me? Lt is hard for thee to kicke against the pricks. 

Oh ! Christ in his Messengers hath given his back to 
the smiters, and his cheeks to them that have plucked off 
the haire ; his beard hath beene cut, and his garments cur- 
rold by these Prelarique Ammonites. The Messengers of 
lesus have bin made a spectacle to the world, Angels, and 
men ; they have beene made partakers of Christs suffer- 
ings, and have filled up that which is behmd of the afflic- 
tions of Christ in their flesh, for his bodies sake vfhich is 
the Church. And is Christ sensible, and shall not these 
Ammonites heare of it ? Yes ; for he is now awakmg as 
out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by rea- 
son of Wine; Ah! saith hee, I tvill ease 7ne of mine ad- 
versaries, and avenge mee of mine enemies, and put them 
to perpetuall shame. But so much be said of this. 

Loah now approaching with his Forces ; when loe, the 
Adversaries have cunningly devided themselves, some 
standing at the entrance of the gates of the Citie, the res- 
idue in the open field. loab a wise Generall, and prepar- 
ed for difficulties, forecasteth the best way of encounter, 
and fittnig himself to assault the Syrians, leaves the Am- 
monites 



iiooke's sermon in 1645. Ill 

monites to his brother Ahishai, but with this covenant of 
miituall assistance, (for I must now put sundry things to- 
gether,) If the Syrians he too strong for me, then thou 
shalt heljJ me, hut if the Children of Ammon he too stivncf 
for thee, then ivill I come and help thee. 

Observation. 

When Gods Israel hath to doe with many potent, subt- 
ill, most wicked and desperate enemies, they had need to 
enter into a covenant of mutuall helpe and assistance. 

Abraham vras confederate with Mamre, Eschol, and 
Aner, when hee was to encounter with the foure Kings 
that had carryed away his cousen Lot, prisoner, Gen. 14. 
13. 24. Yea, it is lawful! for us herein to learne wit of 
an enemy ; For thus the enemies of Israel confederate 
themselves. Come, say they, let us cut them off from 
being a Nation, that the name of Israel may bee no more 
in remembrance. Yea, they have consulted together with 
one consent, and are confederate against Israel; the Tab- 
ernacles of Edom., and the Ishmaelites, of 3Ioab, and the 
Hagarens, Crebal, and Ammon, and Amaleeh, the Philis- 
tims, with the inhabitants of Tyre: Assur also is joyned 
with them, they have holpen the children of Lot, Psal. 
83. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. And in the daies of Ahaz it was 
told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with 
Lfhraim, Isa. 7. 2. 

And this covenanting in case of opposing many, power- 
full, cunning, wicked, desperate Enemies, is very requi- 
site; Seeing a Kingdome divided cannot stand, which 
firmely united by confederacie is not easily vanquished, 
when every mans interesses are anothers, and the same 
ingagements common unto all. And this Antichrist knowes 
vf ell enough ; for hee being set forth most lively under the 

Type 



112 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Type of Ayitioclius UjjipJianes in the lltli of Daniel, his 
heart is said to be against the holy Covenant, vers. 28. by 
and by hee is said to have intelligence with them that for- 
sake the holy Covenant; yea, and to have indignation 
against the holy Cove7iant, vers. 30. And such as doe 
wickedly, agamst the Covenant, He is said to corrupt hy 
flatteries, vers. 32. Marke these expressions. His heart 
is ao"ainst the holy Covenayit. His very heart riseth at the 
name of Covenant, and Covenanting, and Covenanters, 
and those are the most odious people v>ith him in all the 
world. Yea, he hath indignation against the holy Cove- 
nant. Hee could teare it in his teeth; the very gall of 
bitternesse riseth in him at it. And with whom hath he 
intelligence, but with them that forsake it? They are his 
Counsellours, that either fall off from the Covenant, or are 
learned to declaime and raile against it. And such as doe 
wickedly against the Covenant, he corruptei'h by flatteries. 
If there be any vrho are more malicious then others against 
the Covenant, and the Covenantees, who will goe about to 
breake the League, to raise Armes, to hatch Treasons, to 
confound Kingdomes, Commomvealths and Parliaments, 
and to bring all things into combustion, that he may fish in 
troubled waters, these are his white boyes these he 
smooths and stroakes, and flatters, these shall have Pre- 
bendaries, Bishopricks, Cardinals Caps, and great prefer- 
ments, &c. And no marvaile, for these Covenaiiters are 
the mine of Antichrist; for he could never have beene, 
if the Covenayit had beene kept, his Babel can never be 
buUt where men keep close to God and one another. 

J^e. 
1. Fu'st, this sheweth us the wonderfull goodnesse of 
God in foure particulars, which should melt our hearts this 
day. First 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 113 

First, in uniting the Honourable Nation of the Scots by 
Covenant against the Prelates, in their late defence against 
their Tyranny. Which how powerful! and successefuU it 
was, we may easily see, not onely by the carriage and issue 
of things on their parts, but also by the contiiiuall attempts 
of the Prelates to have devided them. 

Secondly, In the firme brotherly Union of England 
and Scotland^ as it were of Joah and Ahishai ; and that 
too, by such an occasion, as the Prelates hoped should have 
engaged them in blood, the one against the other, like 
Manasseh against Epliraim^ or as if loab and Ahishai 
should cut one anothers throats. 

Thirdly, In uniting both houses of Parliament, they 
having to do with such Ammonites and Syrians. It is 
such a knot, that the very Sword of Alexander^ we hope, 
shall not easily cut asunder. 

A Kingdome united into one body, will endure a mighty 
shock. Men standing single are soone justled downe, 
most difficult, when they are all imbodied into one. 

Fourthly, In uniting the hearts of all the Churches in 
this Land to one another, and all of them this day to our 
deare Countrey, in opposing the common Adversary. For 
what hath England said to us of late ? If the Papists, 
Prelates, and Atheists he too strong for us, then you shall 
help us; and if at anytime the enemy he too strong for you, 
wee will help you. let us all enter into Covenant with 
England, to live and dye against these Ammonites and 
Syrians. 

2.; Secondly, If so necessary bee a Covenant of mutual 
assistance against a common Enemy, such a one as we 
heare of; how much more had the Israel of God, need to 
enter into Covenant with the Lord of Hosts, in opposing 
10* such 



114 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



sucli an Adversary. What is a Politicke to a. Religious 
Covenant ? When the Israelites fled, and fell before the 
men of Ai; the Lord gives the reason of it unto. losJiua, 
losh, 7. 11. Israel hath sinned, and tliey have transgressed 
my Covenant which I commanded them; for they have tak- 
en of the accursed thing, ^c. Where by the way, you 
may see how neerely this Covenant uniteth, that what one 
doth, (which the rest might with circumspection have pre- 
vented) is imputed to them all. The Lord will never have 
need to say to England^ or to us, If the Mahgnant party 
with their Cavaliers be too strong for mee, then shall you 
help me ; but we shall have need so to say to him ; and 
therefore wee had need see that we be in covenant with 

him. 

And where a people are in Covenant with God, and 
cleave onely to liim, having cast away whatsoever is dis- 
pleasing to him, hee enters himselfe presently the Gener- 
all of all their forces, leades their Armies, and fights theu^ 
Battails. And then who can bee against us ? For one 
shall chase a thousand, and ten, ten thousand ; because 
their Rock will not fell them, nor the Lord shut them up. 
And so much for the Covenant of mutuall assistance. 

We are now come to loahs words of Encouragement: 
wherein we have; First, an Exhortation. Secondly, a 
Resignation. An exhortation to be Valiant in fighting 
the Lords Battels ; and a Resignation of their wills into 
the Lords hands. 

First, of the Exhortation. Be of good courage, and let 
us play the men for our people, ^ for the Cities of our 
G-od. And here we may observe the grounds of their en- 
couragement, viz. They were to fight for all that they 
had, or were ; God, and their Country ; Church, and State ; 
soules and bodies ; their owne, and others. Ohser- 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 115 



Observation. 

When Religion and Policie, Church and Commonwealth 
Ije at stake, Gods people had need to encourage them- 
selves, and one another. 

Therefore we shall finde, that when the people of God 
were to go to battell against his enemies, both the Lords, 
the Priests, and the Officers, did QAIT) give them encour- 
agement, Deid. 20. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, T, 8, 9. The place 
is pregnant to this purpose, and worthy our reading. Ex- 
cellent are the words of Nehemiah to this point, NeJi. 4. 
14. He said to the Nobles and Eulers, and the rest of 
the people, Bee not afraid of your Enemies; remember 
the Lord which is great and terrible, and fight for your 
Brethren, your Sonnes, and your Daughters, your Wives 
and your Houses. They were to fight for the Lord, whose 
cause was then in hand ; and for the Common-wealth, and 
each mans private inter esses : therefore saith he. Be not 
afraid of your Enemies. 

Vse. 
1. First, this shevfeth us, how direct a way it hath pleas- 
ed the Lord herein to guide both Houses of Parliament to 
walke m, viz. A way of undaunted courage and resolu- 
tion, as if they should say to one another, as once those 
Trojans, The onely way to safety to the Conquered, is to 
turne desperate. Some may thinke they transgresse their 
limits ; No, for how can they take lesse courage to them- 
selves, who being beset behind and before with Syrians 
and Ammonites, are to bestirre tliemselves for their peo- 
ple, and the Cities of their God. God and England, and 
every Shire and Citie in England, doe this day cry out 
unto them, saying ; Bee strong and of a good courage, he 
not afraid, neither he dismayed', for the Lord your Grod is 

tvith 



I 



116 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

with you tvJiither soever you goe. Therefore let us not onelj 
have high thoughts of them, and such as are alwajes Hon- 
ourable, but magnifie the Lord who hath put such resolu- 
tions into them. 

2. Secondly, let these words of Jodb sound ui our eares 
this day. Be of good courage, and let us play the men for 
our 2}eo2:)le, and for the Cities of our God. Beloved ! I 
cannot but look upon the Churches in this Land this day, 
as upon so many severall Regiments, or bands of Souldiers 
lying in ambush here under the fearn and brushet of the 
Wildernes, like the lyers in wait beside Giheah, against 
the wretched rebellious Benjamites. I know wee are little 
dreamt of at this time in any part of Christendome, our 
weapons being as invisible to the eye of flesh, as our per- 
sons are to all the world. So much the better; we shall 
fight this day with the greater safety to our selves, and 
danger to our enemies ; among whom, I am confident in 
the Lord, thousands shall fall, and never know who hurt 
them. We arrogate nothing to our selves ; for if the 
weapons of our warfare are mighty, it is not through us, 
but through God. But if the Israel of God would have 
thought of a way of quickest discomfiture to the adversary, 
what course could they have taken better, then to have 
divided their Forces, and to have sent some to lye in wait 
in the wildernesse, to come upon the backs of Gods Ene- 
mies with deadly Fastings and Prayer, murtherers that 
will kill point blanke from one end of the world to the 
other. Here then is our station, therefore he ive of good 
courage, and let us play the men at this time; and first. 
For our God. For he is ours. Beloved, and we trust he 
is Englands : and shall we see our selves bereft of him ? 
Can the Israel of God endure to see Idols and Idolothites 

to 



iiooke's sermon in 1645. 117 

to stand in his place, and Dagon to bee exalted above tlie 
Ar'ke'^ If Israel be robbed of their God, what have they 
more? TOiat are the people, or Cities, if they bee not the 
people and Cities of our G od ? They a.re even like the 
world without the Sun. God therefore and Religion lie 
at stake ; and therefore let us play the men. 
1. First, Gods worship lyeth engaged: all the pure and 
unmixt Ordinances of Christ Jesus call for helpe this 
dvvj. The Word of God lifteth up its voice this day unto 
us, hkc a banished Virgin; how have I been abused by 
the corrupt Glosses of these moderne Pharisees? How 
have the Scriptures beene wrested ? The Word prophaned 
in Pulpits ? Christ fought against, with the word of his 
owne mouth? Doctrines of Devils maintained with pre- 
tence of Scripture ? The Messengers of Christ persecuted 
and hunted like Partriges upon the Mountaines ; for hold- 
ino; forth the Word in his native lustre ? O deliver the 
Word of God out of this Captivity! The Scales of right- 
eousnesse cry alowd to us this day ; They crave reduction 
to the rules of the Gospell. Every Ordinance pleads for 
vindication, travelling in paine under the captivity of beg- 
garly Eudiments. 0, say they, Ave have been dealt forth 
these many scores of yeares under Gospell-light, in such 
fulsome formes, that men abhorre the offerings of the Lord. 
Oh ! The Whoore hath quaffed, and made herselfe drunke 
with her Panders, and Paramours, and with her cunning 
and uncleane Merchants, in the vessell of the Lords Sanc- 
tuary. 

Beloved ! Let us hold ; and heare no more of these sad 
complaints; for who can have pitie, and patience too? 
Have we the blood of Protestants in us ? Doth the spirit 
of Jesus runne in our veines ? It is enough : We cannot 

want 



118 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

want courage^ nor but play the men for God and pure Re- 
ligion. And if any loeoj^le under the Sunne, who more 
then we, whom the gracious hand of heaven hath asserted 
from that spirituall bondage, under which we once did 
groane ? It is a truth, we saw but htle in comparison of 
what now we doe, when we left our Native homes; as 
much it is not that yet we see, tho, blessed be the Lord 
for what we doe. But is there any people in the world 
who have tasted more of the sweet of God, and Christ, and 
Ordmances, then we in this Land have done ? Doe any 
know the price of God and Christ, more than wee here ? 
I beseech you in the Lord, Consider, and let the spirit of 
Christ rise in you at this instant, and wrestle and strive 
this day in Prayer ; let us loose a joynt with lacoh^ but we 
will be Israelites this day. Let us play the men according 
to the knowledge, sence and experience that vre have of 
God and Christ. Let us halt to our dying day, but we 
will returne, laden with the spoile of Rebels. 
2. Secondly, as Gods worship lieth ingaged, so by conse- 
quence his ISTame ; And what saith losTiua to God upon the 
day of afflictmg his soul ? What shall he done to thy great 
Name ? When the Ministers of the Lord were to weep 
between the Porch and the Altar upon the day of their 
fasting, they were to say. Spare thy people^ Lord, and 
give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen shoidd 
rule over them; wherefore should they say among the peo- 
ple. Where is their Godf Then will the Lord be jealous 
for his Land, and pitty his people, as it followeth. And 
shall not this argument then move us, which ever prevail- 
ed with the Lord ? Moses, Joshua, the Priests, no sooner 
urge Gods glory, but the Lord answereth them. 

Oh ! how then hath Gods honour been layd in the dust 

by 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 119 

by those Prelates, who now with their honours begin to lye 

there themselves ? What insultings have they used ? 

What triumphes have they often led ? And as if they had 

bound our Christ like Sampson, and put him to grind in 

the Prison house (as m some sence they have.) Oh ! how 

have these Lords of the Fhilistims gathered themselves 

together to offer sacrifice to their Dagon, to burne Incense 

to their Drag, to their power, their Policies, Prelacies, 

Confederacies, Conjurations, Superstitions, and so rejoyce ? 

Saying, Our God Jiatli delivered Christ our enemy into our 

hand, the destroyer of our Prelacies, who slew many of us. 

And thus, could they but get the day agam, they would 

say, and Bagon should up as high, and Christ be throwne 

downe as low, as ever. And can we endure so much as 

the thought of it ? The Lord forbid. let us play the 

men for our God, and our Christ, whose glory is more 

worth then ten thousand worlds of soules. let us set to 

it this day with all our courage; let every veine, and joynt, 

and hmbe, and affection in us, pray this day ; Lord 

God, rememher thine honour, wee pray thee, and strengthen 

us, tve pray thee, that we may once he ave7iged on these 

Fhilistims against their Lords; for our tivo eyes. Yea, 

as Sampson said. Let me dye zvith the Fhilistims: So, let 

us dye vath these Fhilistims, if need were. Let us kill 

our selves with fasting and prayer, to destroy them, and 

to pull downe the Temple of their Bagon, all the fabrick 

of the Hyrarchie, upon the heads of these superstious 

Prelates. 

o. Thirdly, Let us consider how inglorious a Nation is 
without God. When the ArJce ivas captivated, the glory 
was departed from Israel. The Ark was the testimony of 
Gods presence ; so that when God doth not testifie his 

presence 



120 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

presence with a People, they are without glory. If the 
World bee beautified by the presence of the Sun, and so 
great glory attend the Court where the King is resident : 
How doth the special presence of the Prince of the Kmgs 
of the earth, beautifie that Land where it is ? Yea, there 
is not onely a spirituall glory, visible onely to a spirituall 
eye, resulting from the speciall presence of the Lord 
among a people ; but also an externall, and visible glory. 
When lehoshaphat walked in the first waies of his Father 
Davidj and lift up his heart in the waies of the Lord ; and 
that a great Reformation was wrought in the Land, and 
that he had spread the Word all over his kingdome ; it is 
said. That hee had riches and honour in ahoundance ; and 
The fear e of the Lord fell upon all Kingdoms of the Lands 
that were round about Ludah, so that they made no warre 
against lehoshaphat. Yea, the Philistims and Arabians 
brought him great presents, insomuch that lehoshaphat 
waxed great exceedingly, and hee built in ludah, Castles, 
and Cities of store ; and hee had much businesse in the 
Cities of ludah; and the men of Warre, mighty men of 
valour, were in lerusalem. So that ludah had aboundance 
of externall glory, even the glory of riches, and honour, 
and power, and greatnesse, and peace, and homage from 
forreigne States, and of great emploiments, and of mighty 
men of valour. Wherefore, seeing God is come neerer to 
LJngland, then formerly, and hath of late made such gra- 
cious tenders of himselfe, and hath found better acceptance 
then formerly ; let us conclude in dayly prayer, and 
this day especially, for his presence to be continued, and 
more cleerely manifested then ever. For if he should now 
withdraw againe, wee are to expect no glory to rest among 
them. You know how little honour hath been visible in 

that 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 121 



that Land of late yeares ; It liath for a long time beene a 
Land of sorrow, of mourning, and not of joy and rejoycc- 
ing. It hath not been called Naomi, but Marali ; it hath 
not been a Cro^-yne of glory , nor a Royall Diadem in the 
hand of the Lord ; but been termed forsaken and desolate. 
But now the day hath begunnc to dawne, yea, the Sunne 
seemes to be risen on it, if it strike not in againe, and a 
Tempest ensue upon it ; which the Lord forbid. why 
should we give the Lord any rest, till it be called Eephzi- 
haJi, and Beidali, My delight is hi her, because she is mar- 
ryed to the Lord. For when once a Land is joyned to the 
Lord, hee is married to it, and then his delight is in it, 
and hee will cloath it with honour and glory. And thus 
much for the first ground of the Exhortation. 
2. Secondly, the other is the State and Commonwealth, 
which lye ingaged ; our people, and our Cities. Even 
Politick Priviledges are of weighty consequence, and mo- 
ment. But in what a way, both people and Cities in that 
Land, have beene dealt with for many yeares past, wo 
need say nothing, when it is clearely represented to the 
view of the whole world in the late Hemonstrance of the 
state of that Kingdome. When men judge unjustly, and 
accept the persons of the wicked, and rid not the poore 
and needy out of the hand of the wicked, nor do justice 
to the afflicted ; when they will not know, nor understand , 
but walke on in darkenesse ; what followeth ? All the 
Foundations of the Land are out of course, P sal. 82. 5. 
The Heavens, Sea, and dry Land have been shaken, and 
there hath been both a Church-quake, and a State-quake 
in that Land, which hath removed Foundations, and sv^al- 
lowed up both people and Cities. For when Foundations 
are not onely shaken, but out of course, and removed, 
11 what 



122 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

what have people, and Cities to stand upon ? There is no 
man in such a case, who can saj, I stand upon sure ground, 
I feare no colours, I am able to beare out my just actions. 
For if they should say, we will have recourse to our Foun- 
dations; alas, they are out of Course, they are removed, 
and none knowes where to find them. 

Beloved ! It is a fearefull thing to have but the founda- 
tion of an house undermined, the corner stones removed, 
and the pillars pulled downe ; but when whole Cities, and 
Townes, and Shires of people, shall be undermined, and 
neere blown up, oh how dreadfuU is it ? When a People 
who can say, We are Homans, neither didive buy our free- 
dom^ hut are the laivfull and legitimate heires of Liberty^ 
shall he scourged imcondemned ; and when Cities that were 
formerly Cities of Refuge, where the afilicted might find 
succour under municipall Laws, shall be invaded by de- 
stroyers ; what cause have men to doe as David and his 
followers, when they had recourse to Ziklag, thinking to 
have found shelter there ; but loe, the Citie was burnt, 
and their wives, and sons, and daughters taken Captives ? 
Uven lift up their voices and iveepe, iintill they have no 
more power to weepe. Wien a man may say as David; 
In the way ivherein I walked^ they privily laid a snare for 
me : I looked on my right hand, and hehold, there ivas no 
man ivould hnoiv mee, refuge failed me: this is miserable. 
For a man thinkes himselfe safe in his w^ay, and if he be in 
the Kmgs high way, he thinks much to have a snare laid 
for him ; and none but Cutters will way-lay a man there. 
For Edom to assault Israel, when they promised to walke 
on, only in the Kings highway; harha7vus and inhu- 
mane! Numh. 20, 17, 20. But when a man shall be as- 
saulted in such a case, and he looks on his right hand, and 

on 



hooke's sermox IX 1645. 123 

on his left for lielpc, and can see none, then his purse, if 
not his throat is indangered. Surely it is uncomfortable 
travelling in such Countries. 

" Brethren! Liberty is more precious then Hfe, inasmuch 
as death is the common lot of all men, but servitude the 
portion only of men destined to misery. And if a people 
be sold for bondmen, and bondwomen, what can counter- 
vaile the Kings damage ? And seldome is it, that cruelty 
rests satisfied with bondage, but makes his progressions to 
further degrees of blood. When people and Cities cannot 
say Mimicipia, but Manci^na, what remains but death ; as 
when the Epliramites could not pronounce SJiihholeth, but 
onely SibboletJi, presently they dyed for it. If goods and 
liberty be in the power of mens w^ills, why not also life ? 
There is much comprized in people and Cities, even all 
that is Pohtick, Oeconomick, or Private ; but I instance 
onely in the greatest mischiefs . Let us therefore use the 
words of Queene Hester vnto AJiasuerus, and direct them 
unto God. If we have found favour in thy sight ^ Lord, 
and if it please the King, let our lives he given us at our 
2)etition, and our people at our request; for our people are 
sold to bee destroyed, and slaine, and perish. 

If any say, How are yiq concerned in the miseries of 
other men, so long as we are free. I say, it toucheth us, 
as Lots captivity touched AbraJiam, who mustred up his 
men, and took his confederats along with him, Mamre, 
Eshcol, and Aner, and dehvered him out of bondage. And 
if we forbeare to deliver them that are drawne unto death, 
and those that are ready to be slaine ; if we say, ive Icnero 
it not, or ivhat did it concerne us ? He that pondereth the 
heart considereth it, and hee will render unto us according 
to our ivorhes. Prov. 24. 11. 12. Wherefore Let us play 

the 



124 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



the men for our feo^le and Cities. What though it be 
well with us ? Let us yet remember the afflictions of Jo- 
seph ; yea, and the words of Joseph to Pharaoh^ s Butler ; 
Thinhe upon me when it shall he well with thee ; and shetu 
hindnesse^ I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of mee 
unto Pharaoh, and briny me out of this house. For thus 
in effect speaks Enyland and Ireland to us this day, and 
all the Cities in them ; now that it is well with you, thmk 
upon us, and shew kindnesse unto us, and make mention 
of us unto the God of heaven, that we may fully once be 
delivered out of the house of bondage. Oh, saith such 
and such a Citie, there are so many thousand soules in 
me, who cannot discerne between the right hand and the 
left. 

But if it be not well with them, how can it bee well 
with us ? If the Arhe, and Israel, and ludah, abide in 
tents, and the people of God are encamped in the open 
fields, what comfort can we have in our houses, food, or 
wives ? What though we are so farre from them m place ? 

The needle in the Compasse is never quiet till it point- 
cth to the North, at a thousand times greater distance. 
Affections touched with grace, stand firme from one end 
of the World to the other. Nehemiah^s heart stood right 
towards Jerusalem, when he was in Persia; and though 
hee was not in an humbhng Wildernesse, but an alluring 
Pallace, even in Shushaii, yet Jerusalem came into his 
minde. For when Sanani, and certaine men of ludah 
came thither to him, he asked them concerning his breth- 
ren that were left of the Captivity, and concerning leru- 
salem. And when they told him of the great affliction 
and reproach, he sate downe and wept, and mourned many 
dales, and fasted and prayed before the Gfod of Heaveyi, 

Neh. 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 125 

mil. 1. 1, 2, 3, &c. Wherefore let that Word of the 
Lord sound often in our eares ; Ye that have escaped the 
Stvord, go away^ stand not still ; remember the Lord a 
farre off, arid let Jerusalem come into your minds, ler. 50. 
51. And though we have but a day, or two, wherein to 
jojne all our Forces in the Land together, and to give the 
Adversaries a broad side ; Yet let us now and then make 
excursions by our selves in private, now that the Lord cals 
for help against the Mighty. Are we not all the Volun- 
taries of Iesus, whose People shall be wilhng in the day 
of his power ? neither is there any restraint unto the Lord, 
to save by many, or by few ; by whole Churches, or by 
single persons. Let us therefore be often adventuring by 
our selves, like Jonathan and his Armour-bearer against 
the JPhilistims. If ever we afflicted our soules, let it be 
in these dales ; for we may partly understand by Bookes 
the number of the yeares which God will accomplish in 
the desolations of Jerusalem. So that, we set our faces 
unto the Lord God, to seek by Prayer and Supplications, 
with Fasting, Sack cloth, and Ashes. There is at this 
time a great battell between Michael and the Dragon, and 
the Angels. The Beast and the Kings of the earth, and 
their Armies have gathered themselves together to make 
warre with the Lambe. All the Principalities, and Pow- 
ers, and Rulers of the Darknesse of the \Yorld, and Spir- 
ituall wickednesses in High places, are up in Amies this 
day, and there is scarce a Devill left behind in Hell. If 
ever therefore, now Let us quit our selves like men; the 
weapons of our Warre-fare are not Carnall, but mighty 
through God. Let us pray against them, as 3foses against 
Amaleh; and Preach against them, as the Priests under 
the Law, when the Host went out against the Enemy; 
11* and 



12G THE MINISTKY OF TAUNTON. 



and sing against them, as leJiosoj^hat and the men of lu- 
dah did against Moab, Amnion, and Edoyyi; and live 
against tliem, as it is written, When the Host goeth forth 
against the Enemy, then heepe thee from every wicked 
thing. Deut. 23. 9. Every Ordinance of God is a deadly 
murtherer. let us walke and sleep in our Armour and 
never be unfurnished of promises touching the confusion 
of Bahel, and her builders. Let the cause of God affect 
us deeply, and the people and Cities of our God be alwaies 
in our eyes. And let the desolations of Christendome 
awaken us to frequent Prayers, and constant sympathy; 
and the bloud of Gods people (particularly) m Ireland, 
be to us as the bloud of Grapes and Mulberies are to Ele- 
phants, to provoke them to fight. Oh those incarnate 
Irish Dey'iis ! let them be often in our sight. Their blas- 
phemies, their burnings, their robberies, their rapes, their 
rostmgs, their strippings, rippings, hangings, drownings, 
dis-membrings, butcheries, the very shambles of the Devil 
erected in Ireland, would be alwaies m our eyes and eares. 
And yet when we have done all, let us referre the issue 
to the Almighty, saying ; Let the Lord do zvhat seemeth 
him good. The last thing, is their resigning up their wills 
into the hands of GOD ; whereof a few words, and I end. 

loah is not wanting in the use of all meanes to obtaine 
victory, yet lookes above them, and refers the issue to the 
Lord of Hosts; teachmg us. 

Doctrine. 

To neglect no meanes of Victorie, yet to depend upon 
the Lord onely for a gracious issue. 

For there is no trusting in our bows or swords, it is the 
Lord that saveth us from our enemies. It is not the race 
to the swift, for then loah knew that his brother Asael had 

not 



hooke's sermon in 1645. 127 



not dyed by the hand of Abner. Neither is it the battel 
to the strong, for then he knew, that G-oliah should never 
have fallen by the hand of David. The Horse is prepared 
against the day of Battell, but victory is of the Lord. 

Vse. 
1. First, Let this teach us to seeke the Lord, that none 
of his may ever rest upon the arme of flesh, nor number 
the people ; as once David did. Hee had a Catalogue of 
all the mighty men, 2 Sam. 23. and now too, he will have 
a list of all the Souldiers in his Kmgdome, 2 jSa7n. 24. 
He Idolized the carnall strength of Israel, and remember- 
ed not the Word of the Lord, which said. When thou taJc- 
est the summe of the children of Israel, after their number, 
then they shall give every man a ransome Jor his soule unto 
the Lord, that there bee no plague among them, ivhen thou 
numbrest them. Uxod. 30. 12. Let us remember Migland 
in this particular ; It lyeth under great temptations to this 
kuid of Idolatry. The Union of the two Nations, two 
Houses, all (or most) of the • Shires by Petitioning for 
Reformation, the setling of the Warrefare of the King- 
dome at Sea and Land, the mervellous wisdome, and un- 
daunted resolution of Parliament, their successe in many 
matters, the eyes of many on them, and the applause that 
is given them, besides whatsoever other temptations, and 
armes of flesh; may soone solicite the hearts, even of the 
godly, much more of others, to carnall confidence, that 
they may never lift up their eyes unto the hilles from 
whence commeth their helpe. 

jSisera, Midian, G-oliah, Senacherib, Zerah, fall by their 
carnall props; when Barak, Gtedeon, David, Jonathan, 
and Asa, resting upon the Lord in the use of small 
meanes, returne victorious. Two dayes weeping and fast- 
ing 



128 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

ing was little enough for the eleven Tribes to gaine the 
day of Benjamin. let not Gods people rest in Coun- 
cell, Number, Courage, Ammunition, but in the Lord of 
Hosts. 

2. Secondly, Let not us then place any affiance in our 
Fastins; daics, but refer al to God when we have ended 
them. If the Devill cannot make us convert our Prayers 
unto Idols ; he will see whether hee cannot convert them 
into Idols. 

Lastly, Let us lay our hearts this day in the Lords 
hands, as once Eli ^ Hezehiah being threatned, as here 
laoh ready for the onset, did. The People of God, both 
in old England and new, have w^aited on his providence 
both by earthly and heavenly meanes. Noiv let the Lord 
doe what seemeth him good. If it shall seem good to him, 
that Englajid, Ireland.^ or Scotland, shall suffer yet fur- 
ther, the will of the Lord be done. What remaineth, but 
for us to magnifie Gods justice, and to put our mouthes 
into the dust ? Especially, (as for England^ considering 
how long the Prelacie hath fought against Christ, and 
kept him out of his Kingdome : What bloody brazen-faced 
Idolatries have bin committed there ? What Atheismes, 
Blasphemies, Adulteries, Prodigies of pride, grinding of 
faces, selling of the Poore, countenanced Sabbath break- 
ers, derision of holinesse, shedding the blood of the Saints, 
have been common in that Land ; and in a speciall man- 
ner, considering the sinnes of Gods deare people there, 
particularly of his Messengers in their long continued 
subjection mito the power of Antichrist, in the Prelacy, 
the warpings and shrinkings of some, the fearefulnes and 
cowardize of many (for which, for mine own particular, I 
desire to be humbled while I live) the reading of that 

abomi- 



hooke's sermon in 1G45. 129 

abominable Booke of cursed liberty, contributing to the 
Superstitious Pompousnesse of Paules, and to the raising 
of Forces against the Scots, (a dreadfull bloody sin) read- 
ing, or permitting to be read, Proclamations, and Prayers 
in the Churches against them. I say, considering all this 
(to mention no more) though we have used what meanes 
we can, and though they should doe the like, yet let our 
expectations of successe be low, let us humbly submit our- 
selves to the will of the Lord, saying ; Let him doe ivhat 
seemeth Mm good. If it seem good to him to pardon the 
Land, blessed be such gentlenesse ; If otherwise it seem 
good to him to correct it, blessed bee his justice. What- 
soever he doth, is good ; therefore let him doe it. And 
any mercy at any time, is enough for great 
transgressors. 

CD 

FINI8. 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER TWO. 



Note A. Page 68. 

The following is an exact copy of the letter from Ilooke to 
Winthrop, referred to in the preceding chapter. 

"Honored Sir, — I humbly salute you, together with Mrs. 
Winthrop, and your son and daughters, with the remembrance 
of my entire respects to you and yours. I received the letter 
which you sent aboard to me newly after my departure from 
Boston, it being no less a trouble to me than to yourself, that I 
•was so hurried away that I could not see you once again, and 
solemnly take my leave of you, to whom I reckon myself very 
much engaged for your love and care of me and mine. The 
Lord was pleased to afford us a very comfortable and speedy 
passage from land to land in the space of five weeks, our sea 
exercises being no more than ordinary. After our landing we 
were all held with colds and coughs, and I am scarce free to this 
day. We found the Parliament sitting when we came, whose 
greatest work hath been, to raise the present government to that 
which is kingly, this of kingly being now voted by the far major 
part, though not the melior, as I understand, yet some godly 
persons joining therein. It is apprehended that settlement is 
not obtainable in the present way. The churches throughout 
the land that are congregational, and likewise particular godly 
persons, are mostly averse to this change, and sundry churches, 
from several counties, have petitioned to the Protector against it. 
In his first meeting with the Parliament, he desired time of con- 
sideration; in his second he expressed himself negatively; in 
his third he did not speak, as it is said, so perspicuously and 
expressly; in his fourth the Parliament delivered their reasons 
for this change ; and now the fifth hasting, it is expected that 



iiooke's letter to wintiirop. 131 

he should deliver his reasons for refusal, or accept what is ten- 
dered. I suppose his spirit inclineth to refusal, as the case is 
circumstanced ; but he is put upon straights through the impor- 
tunities of such as urge the necessity of this change, knowing 
also that the Parliament may, and perhaps will, disown him in 
the Spanish wars, and withdraw their help, and also in many 
other things relinquish or oppose him, and render the present 
arbitrary sword power odious and tyrannical, and when he shall 
die, choose a king, whose little finger may be very heavy upon 
the people of God ; whereas now (if he accept of the present 
offer) he shall have the power of nominating his successor, etc. 
But on the other side a design is feared, the promoters being 
not men (for the most part) of a desirable gang, many of them 
not very good well willers, perhaps, to the better party; and 
the hand of the lawyers is chief in these things, to settle their 
forms (it is thought) no less than the state of the land. Like- 
wise, former professions and protestations against kingly power 
are alleged and much insisted upon, as made sometimes by the 
army, godly men, and not of mean rank, utterly denying any 
such engagements or protestations. Some fear also lest things 
should revert to their first principles, in the issue, and our gains 
by all those bloody wars, lie at last in a narrow compass, etc. 

" The Protector is urged utrinque and (I am ready to think) 
willing enough to betake himself to a private life, if it might 
be. He is a goodly man, much in prayer and good discourses, 
delighting in good men, and good ministers, self-denying, and 
ready to promote any good work for Christ. 

"As touching myself, I am not as yet settled, the Protector 
having engaged me to him not long after my landing, who hith- 
erto hath well provided for me. His desire is, that a church 
may be gathered in his family, to which purpose I have had 
speech with him several times ; but though the thing be most 
desirable, yet I foresee great difficulties in sundry respects. I 
think to proceed as far as I may, by any rule of God, and am 
ahoo-ether unwillinp' that this motion should fall in his heart. 
But my own weakness is discouragement enough, were there 
nothins; else. 



132 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

"Your letters were delivered, Mr. Peter [Hugli Peters] un- 
dertaking for two of them. For Sir Kenelme Digby is in 
France, and when he will return I hear not. Mr. Peter is not 
yet thoroughly recovered out of his late eclipse ; but I hear bet- 
ter of his preaching than was formerly spoken of it. He hath 
been loving to me, and hath (I hope) received benefit by the 
things which have lately befallen him. The steward of the 
house and I speak often of you. His name is Mr. Maydestone, 
who (as he saith) sucked the same milk with you. He is a 
godly wise man, and one to whom I am much bound for his 
love. The land is as full of wickedness as ever it was, except- 
ing that there is a remnant professing the pure ways of God 
with more clearness, liberty, and boldness, than heretofore ; and 
here are many good churches m city and country, far and near, 
and many able ministers. 

" There have been two conspiracies discovered since my ar- 
rival — one of the levellers, many of whom were engaged by 
some great enemy to take away the life of the Protector, and 
scarce three or four of them known one to another, that if any 
of them should be discovered, they might not discover very 
m.any others, but the plot still go on in the hands of other men. 
One Sundercombe was a chief man in this design, a very stout 
man, who, with one Cccill, was apprehended, and he condemn- 
ed to die, who, the night before the time appointed for his exe- 
cution, poisoned himself. He was a very atheist, not holding 
the immortality of the soul. One of the life-guards had his 
hand also in the conspiracy, and had received a reward to act 
in it, who, fearing a discovery, to save his life detected Sunder- 
combe, made known the business, and prevented the burning 
of Whitehall, when the match in the basket full of the most 
combustible and furious materials was lighted and placed in the 
midst of the chapel in a seat^ etc. The other conspiracy was 
discovered the last week. It was carried on by tumultuous, 
outrageous, discontented men, pretending to fifth monarchy, but 
discovering in their declaration (which is in print) a bloody 
spirit, though under a specious shew. Some of them were late- 






hooke's letter to wiNTimop. 133 

ly appreliencled as they were praying, ready to set forward in a 
Iiostile manner, together in a body, having accordingly furnished 
themselves. In this design one Yernour, not long since dwell- 
ing in your Boston, a wine cooper, is a principal actor, who 
being brought before the Protector, spoke and behaved himself 
with as great impudence, insolence, pride, and railing, as (I 
think) you ever heard of. It is thought also that Major Gen- 
eral Harrison, Colonel Rich, Carey, Danvers, Colonel Okey, 
Sir Henry -Vane, are engaged in this plot. I suppose some of 
them are secured, or sent for so to be. We hang here upon 
ticklish points, and scarce know what to think, only the people 
of Grod are still looking up to him.. Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Ten- 
wick have gone to God, within two or three days one of the 
other, in a time wherein we have very great need of the pres- 
ence and prayers of such men. 

"Sir, I would not tire you: I have very great need of the 
help of your prayers; I am still also valetudinarious, 'and should 
rejoice to do God any acceptable service before my great change 
Cometh, I have spoken again and again to Mr. Peter to re-' 
member your sister Lake ; what he will do I know not ; I pray 
remember my respects to her also, and to Mr. Blinman. The 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and all yours, 
prospering your endeavors to his glory and the good of many. 
To his grace I heartily commend you, and rest, 

' ' Yours very much bound to you, 

''April 13, 1657. '^Y^illiam Hooke, 

For the much honored Mr. John AYinthrop, 

at his house in Pequot, in New-England." 

Note B. Page 73. 

Tbe discourse, or rather treatise on the " Priviledge of the 
Saints on Earth," etc., is too long to be inserted entire in this 
work. It extends through one hundred and thirteen pages 
duodecimo, and is bound up with a briefer discourse on " the 
Gospel Bay," registered as number 1259 in the Prince Col- 
12 



134 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



lection, and sacredly preserved in the archives of the old South 
Church, Boston. The book '-belongs to the New-England Li- 
brary, begun to be collected by Thomas Prince, upon his enter- 
ing Harvard College, July 6, 1703, and was given by said 
Prince to remain therein forever." Through the kindness of 
Rev. Dr. Blagden, Pastor of the Old South Church, I have had 
access to the volume, and made liberal extracts from the same. 
The title page is as follows : 

'•The Priviledge of the Saints on Earth, beyond those in 
Heaven, in respect of gifts and graces exercised, duties and 
services performed, sufferings and tryals undergone by them, 
which the glorified are not capable of — 

Being 
The sum of a Discourse upon a part of Hezekiah's song of 
Thankso-ivino" after his recovery from his sickness. 
To which is added, a short Discourse of the nature and extent 
of the Gospel Day, reaching from the destruction of the Old, 
to the erection of the New Jerusalem, out of Zech. 14: 6, 7 ; 
By William Hoolce, 
Preacher of the Gospel. 
London : 
Printed for John Wilkins, and are to be sold at his shop in 
Exchange Alley, next door to the Exchange Coffee House, over 
against the Boyal Exchange. 

1673." 
Mr. Prince is careful to inform the reader on the title page 
that " this author was ye Be v. Mr. Hooke, once of New-Haven 
in N. E.— see C. M. Magnalia." 

The name of Anne Rosevall is also on the title page, from 
which I infer some "mother in Israel " may once have claimed 
possession of a book which she, and after her, the Rev. Thomas 
Prince could appreciate, and which becomes to us one of the 
most precious relics of antiquity. 

There is a prefatory notice of the book from some unknown 
hand, but which may have been none other than that of the ex- 
cellent John Howe, an associate of the no less excellent Hooke 



hooke's discourse m 16T3. 135 



in the family of the Protector. What more natural than that 
one who could discourse so well concerning the ' ' Blessedness of 
the Rio-hteous" in the world to come, should commend to the 
attention of community the truthful remarks of his friend and 
brother in tribulation concerning the " Blessedness of the Righ- 
teous " in the world that now is. AYith Br. Bacon, referring 
to the subject of the discourse only, which he had never read, 
we may well exclaim: "What sort of a man must he have 
been, who in his old age, disappointed, afflicted, persecuted, 
could write a book to show the privileges of- the saints on earth 
beyond those in heaven — the privilege of laboring for the Re- 
deemer, the privilege of bearing the cross, and enduring re- 
proach and sorrow for Him." 

"TO THE REABER. 

"The greatest and highest honour of the reasonable creature is 
to serve Him, who is the best good and last end. Herein do we 
communicate with angels, whose glory it is, that they are minis- 
tering spirits, always beholding the face of God our Father for 
this very purpose. How diligent then should we be -to lay hold 
on, and to improve all opportunities of service, seeing our time 
is so short, our work so great, and our salvation nearer than 
when we first believed ? The Son of God hath given us a glo- 
rious pattern herein, " I must work the work of Him that hath 
sent me," etc. Christ Jesus our Master improved all opportu- 
nities, went up and down doing good, filling all places where 
He came, with the savour of His doctrines and miracles, be- 
cause He knew His time was short, and the recompense of re- 
ward at hand. The serious thoughts hereof would exceedingly 
spur us to a holy diligence, especially considering that Heaven 
is a place not of work but reward, where the saints will be di- 
vested of serving and honoring God in many of these ways, 
wherein now (through grace) they are enabled to bring much 
glory to His name. Many Graces, Buties, Gifts have here 
their place while we are viafores, but shall have no room when 
we come to be comprehensores. And this is the design of the 



186 THE JUXISTET OF TAI3T0N. 

vonhT aathor in this little tract, viz : to set before thee the 
great oppoitanities thou hast of service to God. ■while thou art 
on this side Hei^Ten. he von 1 vr'nLZ are to be enjoyed there. 
Were this t": ' ' - ' rrd, how would Holineco be promot- 

eil. hhinvz =1 -riih, churches revive Y We should 

not so passionatelj desire death, merely to be rid of all suffer- 
ings, but should prize life, if with it, Christ Jesns might be 
_ - - 1. It is crlorious v - ' : Go*! calls His saints to ere 
to Heaven. Is nc . z for Chri=t glorious work V 

Is not the exercise of ^th, hope, and patienc-e glorious work '. 
To do good, and to communicate, both to the Loctily and spirit- 
ual : ■ ■ ' ' is not "' ' rious work'.' 

In >. - . . . _, - ._..-_. n and ^ to the gen- 

erarioQS to come, is not this gloriotis wort V Why, herein are 
the Saints on Earth priviiedged beyond those in Heaven, where 
there is no ro-jm for the exercise of these graces and duiies. 
Oh! who would not pray that he i^' •' * ''-e to do God service 
— spin not out our preciotiis time 11 .y. Pray that thou 

mzjest be cotmted worthy of this calling (which is indeed a 
ftiffit callings and fnlfil ail the good pleasure of HL? G 
SLnd. the work of fa: ' ' ' "1 patience, with power . c i^^ 

name of our Lord ■. may be gloriied in you, and ye 

in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus 
Christ." 

It is but a brief ^Tiopsis which I undertake to give of the 
author's discourse from the following text : Isaiah 38 : 18, V.^, 
"For the fn^ve cannot praise Thee, death, cannot celebrate 
Thee. They that go ' ' to the pit cannot hope for Thy 
truth. The living — :.-, .- — .;, he shall praise Thee, as I do 
this dav- The father to the children shall make known Thy 
tntth.' 

These woi-is iiifj.i(:ii^. 'i^ i^reachor remarks, King Hezekiah's 
joy at recovering from a grievous sickness. And why does he 
rcjcAeel' 

\ft. He has no son to succeed him. 



hooke's discourse DC 1'3T3. 137 



'2d. He seems to have been nnwilling to dye in Grod's dis- 
pleasure. 

3^. He feared wliat might become of bis reformation. 

4:t7i. He has regard to the nature of his disease, which ap- 
pears to have been the pestilence. 

In the text there is — 

Ist. A declaration of the state of the dead. 

'2d. An assertion of the opportnnities enjoyed by the liTing. 

The Doctrine to be denTcd from the text is this : 

There are opportunities of serdce to be pertbnned to God in 
this life, which are not to be enjoyed afier deaih. Or thus : 

The people of God may do that for Him in this world, which 
they cannot do in Heaven. 

The enquiry arises : 

What are those servic-es to be performed here, which may not 
be rendered hereafter ? (I will simply name what the Preacher 
pursues at considerable length.) 

liff. Praise before the children of men in the land of the Uring. 

2d. Fathers may make known truth to their children. 

Sd. A blameless, exemplary life before the wicked and there- 
by — lsf,*mav^ are conyerted. 2d. Others are left without 
excuse. 

Afh. Opportunity is famished to reproye Sin, eonfate Error, 
instruct ignorance, warn the unruly, comfort the feeble minded, 

etc. 

I remember, (remarks the Preacher.) how. when dying. Mr. 
KoUock was much offended with a kinsman, for desiring his 
prayers when he should come to SearcJi. 

God will haye but oxe Literc-essor there, said the dying man. 

bth. Good may b^ done to the bodies of men. 

(Sfh. Here saints may suner for Christ — for example, friejids, 
jroods, health, ease, credit, liberty, houses, lands, may be wrest- 
ed from them, aye. they may suffi?r the loss of ad things for 
Christ's sake. 

Tr^. Notice some crij'ts of ^race, which cannot be exercised 
in Heayen. as for example. 
12* 



138 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

1st. Faith — tliere on tlie contrary is Vision. 

2d. Hope — there h fruition. 

3c?. Patience — there you -will have no occasion for it. 

Ath. Love — as for example towards enemies — there you 
shall have no enemies. Love toward the unregenerate — there are 
none such in Heaven. The love of sympathy toward the 
wretched and the miserable — none of these will you find in 
Heaven. 

bth. Parts ' — common gifts, such as prophecies, tongues — 
these are not needed in Heaven. 

The Question arises — Why Saints in Scripture desire to dye ? 

Answer — 1st. Some have not done well in so desiring, as for 
example, Moses, of which you will have an account in Numbers 
11: 15. Joh, see Job 6 : 8, 9. Elijah, 1 Kings, 19: 4. 
Jonah — Jonah, 4:3. 

2d. Others have done well, for they desired it with submis- 
sion and a suitable spirit, as Simeon, Luke 2 : 29' — Paid, 
Phil. 1 : 23, 24. 

Another question : Is it not lawful in any case, to desire to 

dye ? 

Yes, the Preacher replies, with subjection to the Divine Will. 

The application of the subject discussed is by far, the largest 
part of the Discourse, and so much extended is it that I can 
barely give a passage here and there. 

If there are opportunities of service to be performed to God 
in this life, which are not to be enjoyed after death, and the 
saints may do that for God in this world, which they cannot do 
in Heaven, we are then 

1st. Informed, 

1st. That Heaven is the place of the saints reward and not 
of their icorh. When they dye, they cease from their labors, 
and their works do follow them. 

2d. If our opportunities dye together with us, then we are 
further informed, that as there is no working in Heaven, so 
there is no returning after death to work again in this world. 
If a man die, shall he live again ? 



iiooke's discourse in 1G73. 139 

2d. Instructed in matter of Reproof, 
1st. To sucli as live long, and do but little ; wliereas we may 
reckon our lives by the good we do in this world. For, as for 
lost time, it cannot come into the account of our lives ; and it 
is a pitiful thing, to be old only in time — but alas! all the 
good of many, stricken in years, mil be within a very little 
compass, and to be an ancient man or woman, of two or three 
years old, as we must reckon the lives of some according to tins 
rule, sounds like a contradiction. 

2d. What shall we say to such as have lived to no purpose at 
all ? All that they have done is to eat, drink, and make a num- 
ber. 

3<f. But (what is worse,) some have lived to ?y/cX"ec? purposes, 
having spent their days in sin, and been offensive both to God 
and man who at last will come to dye like Jehoram without be- 
ing desired. Everybody is glad to see them die. And such 
another was HezeMah' s father , even King Ahaz, who when he 
died was buried like Jehoram, and not brought into the sepul- 
chres of the Kings of Israel. Oh, these are to be exploded out 
of the land of the living. For men shall clap their hands at 
them and hiss them out of the world ; he never did good work 
while he lived, and he shall have never a good word when he 
dyeth. So much for reprehension. 

od. This point instructs us in matter of Humiliation. 

"What hath been said should humble even the very best of 
God's people, in that they have done no more service for Jesus 
Christ, in tlieir generation. You have (possibly) done some- 
thing for Him, but you might have done more, you might have 
praised Him more, declared the truth more to your children, 
you might have projected and designed more for the glory of 
God and the good of Posterity. You might have devised liberal 
things, and lived more exemplarily, been more zealous of good 
works, more edifying in your conversation. You might have 
adventui-ed more for Christ. And whereas you have gained 



140 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



I 



TWO talents for Him you migJit have gained jive. Truly for 
MY part, remarks the Preacher, /might have done more, and 
it humbleth me that I have done so little. I remember it is said 
of Dr. Usher, in the narrative of his life and death, that when 
he was a dying, he was humbled for his omissions. 

M. Be Exhorted. By our subject Exhortation is in place 
several ivays. 

1st. Be Exhorted to do all the good you are able, during 
your abode here below, seeing death will put an end to all your 
opportunities. Suppose you have done well hitherto, like a 
good and faithful servant, be not yet weary of well doing, but up 
and be doing still, and in due time you shall reap if you faint 
not. What a deal of good had Hezekiah done, before he fell 
into this sickness ? and yet you see he is willing to live longer 
to do MORE. So Peter had done much good in Ms tmie. At 
length he become old, and then he writes to the saints — " I 
think it meet, as long as lam in this tabernacle, to stir you up, 
by putting you in remembrance," etc. It is the saints happi- 
ness to have Glory and Honor and Immortality in Heaven, but it 
is much to the glory and honor of God for the saints to be im- 
mortalised on Earth, and to live in their good examples, good 
counsels, good 7iames and good works, when their soids are shin- 
- {7ig in Heaven. 

To be more Particular : 

1st. Dilate and diffuse the praises of God, and make His 
name Glorious to the utmost of your power. And let this be 
sounding much in your ears — "the living — the living, he 
shall pj^aise thee." 

2d. Endeavor also the propagation of Christ's Kingdom — 
pray for it, and according to your capacity, promote it. 

Sd. Live exemplarily, that your patterns may survive you 
and live when yoic are dead. Thus Paid lived. " Brethren " 
said he, " hefolloivers together of 7ne, and mark them which 
tvalk so, as ye have us for an ensarnple.''^ The like did Samuel. 
Examples are very prevalent either 07ie way or the other ; either 



iiooke's discourse in 1673. 141 

for good or evil. And therefore so walk according to God, that 
others may follow you, seemg your example will live whilst you 
live, yea, when you are dead too. For it will be said, such a one 
lived thus, and walked thus, and thus he hchaved himself in his 
family, and thus in his fellowship with the saints, and thus in his 
dealings with his neighbors, and with all men, and thus he car- 
ried it under his tryals and oppositions in an evil day, and this 
I and that was the rule he walked by. For he was a ivise man, 
or she was a wise woman, and very conscientious, and tender- 
hearted, and sincere, and active, and stirring, and zealous, for 
Jesus Christ, and fearful to give the least oflfense, and ready to 
every good work, and pitiful to the poor saints : his heart, and 
purse, and house were open for Jesus Christ, and he was Sijust 
and peaceable man and one that could govern his spirit and 
tongue, and that could keep down his passions, and one that 
was a mortified person — dead to the world and the things 
thereof, etc. Now what a blessed example is tJiis, and what a 
glorious report, what an edifying ptattern, and for the glory of 
God, and our Lord Jesus Christ ? Yea, this example will 
preach ^<y\^Y funeral sermon, (you need no other to do it,) and 
it will keep you alive when you are dead, and immortalise you 
upon Earth, make you of blessed memory indeed, and to be had 
with the righteous in everlasting remembrance, when the names 
of others shall be written in the Earth, which will soon be oblit- 
erated and quite blotted out ; and when it shall be said of them 
as of Hezekiah's father, by way of reproach, " This is that 
King Ahaz.''^ And such a good example many have left be- 
hind them, and we are ever and anon speaking of such as these 
whose names are as a precious ointment, and which were em- 
balmed when they dyed, with the Graces, Virtues, and Good 
works of their lives, that still they send forth a sweet savor to 
surviving posterity. 

^th. Embrace and improve all opportunities of appearing 
and speaking for Christ, (another service peculiar to the saints 
on Earth, who cannot speak a word for Christ in Heaven.) 
And many such seasons are providentially administered to us, 



142 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



« 



viz : sometimes of reproving sin, both in such as fear God and 
such as fear Him not. In the Scriptures you find the saints 
reproving one another. And how often also do the saints in 
Scripture reprove the wicked and the ungodly ? We must ap- 
pear for Christ ; His Truth, His Rules, and Glory ; or where is 
our love to Him ? Sometimes you shall hear cursing and swear- 
ing in your presence ; sometimes reproaching, slandering, filthi- 
ness, foolish talking and sinful jesting ; sometimes you shall see 
covetousness, pride, passion, anger, and uncomely language, and 
sometimes inordinate affections, and sometimes gross omissions of 
duty either to God or man . Here now are opportunities of doing a 
service for Christ, and of appearing and witnessing for Him as 
you cannot do hereafter in Glory. 

bth. There are other good and gracious ofnces to he discharg- 
ed which cease when you are dead. I did briefly mention some 
of them in the doctrinal part. Let me now exhort you to attend 
to them also — as to pray one for another, which duty ends with 
your lives. For, as I have said, " God will have but One In- 
tercessor in Heaven ;" but here he requheth jnany. Here we 
may, yea, must be trading, one with another, viz : prayers for 
prayers, ministers with people — and people with their ministers, 
and one saint with another. Not, but that we must pray for 
others also. Oh ! what a trade did Paid dviYe this way! I have 
sometimes thought what a catalogue of churches and saints he 
had to commend to God in his daily prayers ! and as he prayed 
for the churches, so he dcsireth to be remembered in their 
prayers. For as I said, he drove a holy trade this way. He begs 
the prayers of the church at Ptome, in the very lang-uage of a 
beggar for an alms. '*Now I beseech you," etc. So of other 
churches ; and here you see I have given you a notable example 
for imitation in this point. And think it 7iot enough that you 
pray for saints, but perform the like service for sinners also ; and 
be sure to pray for children, and children's children, that they 
may live in the Light of God, and bear up His name in their 
generations. Oh, Sirs, there is a great service to be done for 
Christ, by prayers, dui'iug the opportunity of our intercession, 



HOOKERS DISCOURSE IN 1673. 143 

wliicli clieth together ivith us. What great tilings have been 
and still are done by prayers ? By these was the church deliv- 
ered out of Babylon and Peter out of prison. By these was 
Zion built. By these is the Gospel upheld — the enemies 
thereof hridled, and liherty obtained, etc. ; and when Grod will 
do great and wonderful things, He will gather His praying 
saints together and pour out a mighty spirit of prayer upon them. 

^th. Comfort the feeble minded, and support the weak. 
Speak a word in due season to the weary. For sometimes you 
shall meet with such as warit it, who walk in darkness and see 
no light. This savoreth sweetly of the Spirit of Christ, who 
would not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. 
The words are diminutive ; for the meaning is, He would 
strengthen the bruised reed — He would blow up the smoking 
flax. He carries the lambs in His bosom; He lays them near 
His heart ; oh! the sweet spirit of Christ. Let the same mind 
then be in you which was in Him. And when the case requires 
it, show yourself a son of consolation. 

^th. In Heaven (you know) are no necessities, whereas here 
are many, which will give occasion therefore to such service as 
Heaven hath no need of. For Jiere are poor saints, and the 
poor are always with us, — who sometimes want food, sometimes 
clothing, sometimes lodging, sometimes money, etc. You that 
are able must follow JoVs example. The eyes of our Lord 
Jesus are much upon such good works as these, for He beheld 
how the poor cast their money into the treasury. Heaven af- 
fordeth no such objects of your love and compassion. There 
are indeed many beggars at Heaven's gates, but never a beggar 
witliin Heaven's doors ; and there are many widows and father- 
less children here, but never a widow nor orphan there. Breth- 
ren, be ye then merciful. It is that which will lengthen out 
your lives. Mercy, even to the bruit creatures shall prolong 
your dayes, much more then to men, especially to the Household 
of faith. Lazarus shall rise and have a new lease of his life, 
to entertain Christ again; and so shall Tabitha to make coats 
and garments for widows again. Life is well bestowed upon 
merciful ones. 



144 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 



I 



m. Let us be willing also, (if need be,) to suffer for 
Christ, whicli is a service peculiar to tliis life. But I say, if 
7ieed be, because we are not to cast ourselves upon suffering un- 
called. We must take up, but not mal^e a cross, 

9^/?. Exercise those fruits of the Spirit which ^yq proper to 
this life. You have heard of several. Faith, Hope, Patience, 
Love to Enemies, and to men out of Christ, sympathy — common 
gifts for edification — communication of knowledge, which is 
mediate in this life. 

10th, and lastly. There is one thing which we are exhorted 
to do in this world, which cannot be done after death, and it is 
a very o-reat service and highly incumbent on us, and I was 
willing to reserve it to the last place, that it might the rather 
abide by us, and it is this : Endeavor to transmit7??/re religion and 
undenled to Posterity by commending it to your children. The 
Fathers to the children shall make known thy truth. And we 
may run it through Fatherhood at large. 

But 1st. Let me speak of Domestical Fathers, that is, Fathers 
of Families. This is a great matter, and is the special y^ork of 
the godly in their generations. How else shall that be made good 
which is written — '' His name "-that is, Christ's, " ^'a^Wendure 
forever." His name shall be continued as long as the Sun, or, 
as some render it, His name shall be continued as a son contin- 
ueth h\& father's name. Now God will use means to bring this 
to pass, one special one is this. The fathers to the children shall 
make known Thy truth. For how should the name of Christ be 
childed (as some render it) from generation to generation if 
care be not taken by Parents, to child Christ's name downwards 
to their offspring, that His name maybe ]Dut upon their children, 
by bemg not only christians by baptism, but by regeneration, 
and this is one of the great works and ends of our lives, as 
Hezekiah distinctly mentioneth. Let such parents and masters 
look to it, who have been negligent in instractiug their children 
and families ; oh Sirs I care and pains for the godly being of 
posterity, is a great and necessary business. Admit of a few 
expostulations and consider, 



hooke's discourse in 1673. 145 

1st, What will your children and servants saj, when they 
come, to succeed you and peradventure dye at last in their si7is ? 
*' Lord, our Parents and Masters did not make known the truth 
unto us. They did not catechise and instruct us. They did not 
deliver to us the form of sound words, nor any brief sum of the 
Articles of Faith and true religion, but we lived and died in 
ignorance, for they had no care of our souls, and if others dealt 
thus with their children and servants. Religion itself might have 
perished as ive have done." Now would not this be most mis- 
erable ? and are you willing to be thus indicted by your children 
and servants in that great Day ? 

2d. Doth not Hezekiah here say, the Father to the children 
shall make known Thy truth, and is it not exprest as a duty and 
a great one too. And doth not Hezekiah look upon this as one 
of the great works to be attended to in this world, without which 
it is not worth while to live ? 

3d Consider with whom God hath entrusted the Gospel and 
True religion : 

1st, He puts His ministers in trust with it. 

2d. He entrusteth all His people with it, expecting their dis- 
charge of this trust by their utmost endeavors to transmit it to 
posterity. 

Ath. Consider the Qommon care of Parents to bequeath their 
Houses, Lands and Goods to such as are to succeed them. They 
leave their substance to their Babes, saith the Psalmist. Shall 
they be less mindful to leave behind them and faithful transmit 
the Ptfre Gospel? 

bth. Consider the covenant that Pious Parents are entered 
into with God. For when God saith, I will be Thy God, and 
the God of thy seed, He expecteth and requireth, that Parents 
do not only give up themselves, but their seed also unto God. 

Is it enough, brethren, that you provide Meat and Drink, and 
Apparel, Portions, and Trades, smdwajs of livelihood for them. 
Will you love their bodies and neglect their souls ? Will ye rob 
God of His children, and bestow them upon the world ? 

The exhortation reacheth 
13 



146 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

2c?. Ecclesiastic fathers, such as are the ministers of the 
Grospel, and that is the reason why we make known these truths 
unto you, viz : that we may discharge our duties to our chihlren, 
that you may discharge the like to yours. And every week, 
and every Sahbath, and every Sermon we preach can testify that 
we are careful to make known the truth unto you. 

M. There are also scholastic fathers, who have the care of 
training up children in learning, and these have their place as 
well as the former in the fifth commandment. 

4:th. There are likewise fathers political. For there is the 
father in the family, the father in the church, the father in the 
commonwealth, or country. 

bth. There are Fathers in age, gravity and seniority, viz : 
such as are well stricken in age. 

%th. Lastly. There are such, who though they are not called 
Fathers, yet are called Elders, viz : the members of the Gospel 
churches. So called, not in respect of age, but of State in these 
Gospel times, wherein the church is past her non-age, and is 
now in an Elderly state, requking more knowledge, wisdom, 
strength, seriousness, gravity and solidity in the things of God. 

Now let me mind you of that which may conduce to the at- 
tendance of this duty, and that is, an heart enlarged unto pub- 
lic service. Therefore you must endeavoj to abound in love. 

\st, to the Glory of God ; and that it may extend to the gen- 
erations to come. 

2<i, to the Kingdom of God, 

3c?, to the Gospel of God. This is the Word of the King- 
dom. 

Mil, to the souls of men. It is a blessed thing to be a lover 
of souls. It makes a man like unto Jesus Christ, whose love to 
souls shines in his own hlood. We should look upon these souls 

1^^, in comparison with our own ; 

2c?, in the blood of the Son of God ; 

3c?, in their relation to Eternity. 

Thus, brethren, you have had a great deal of work set before 
you, and to quicken you to it, Consider 



hooke's discourse m 1673. 147 



Isf, that you know not how soon you may leave this world. 
Oh ! be not silent befoke death, for then you will he aileni forever. 

2d. Consider the account you are to give, when your oppor- 
tunity is ended. When the Lord cometh, He comethto reckon, 
so when you go to the Lord, you go to reckon. 

od. Consider the greatness of the reward of good and faith- 
ful servants. They shall have as much joy as their hearts can 
hold. For they must enter into it, seeing it cannot enter into 
them. 

4:th. Consider further, that the good you do upon Earth, may 
increase when you are dead, and as that increaseth, so shall 
your r/Iori/ still be enlarged. 

In this way a father may convert his child, or children after 
his deatli, as I doubt not 7nani/ have done. He heareth of it in 
Heaven two ways : 

Xst. By his additional glory. 

2d. By the joyful acclamations of the angels for the conver- 
sion of a sinner. Oh ! it is a blessed thing, and the ivisdom of 
saints, to leave a stock of good works behind them, whereby 
to have a trade going on here on Earth, which will afford them 
fresh incomes of Grlory, whilst they are already shining as the 
San in the Kingdom of their Father. 

Thus much for the^r^^ use of Exhortation, to do all the good 
we are able during our dwelling here on Earth . 

2c? Branch of Exhortation. 

Let the second Exhortation be to call upon you to value your 
opportunities, and to make the best improvement of time, 
whilst you are in the land of the living. Hezekiah, lately at 
the grave's mouth, began to value time. They that will not 
p-ize opportunity, shall have an opportunity to prize it. If they 
prize it not, living, they shall prize it, dying. Wherefore man- 
age your seasons for the best ends while you have them, and fill 
up your days with duty and be not so eager upon the world, and 
the things thereof. Opportunity is a golden mattock to dig for 
heavenly treasure. Do not wear it out as many do in digging 
for pebbles, and at your latter end become 2. fool. 



148 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

1st. Here are several of you that are young, or in your mid- 
dle age, or about Hezekiab's age. Call yourselves to an ac- 
count, and inquire of your own bearts wbat you bave done. 
Peradventure but little. Wbat tben, if God sbould now lay you 
(as be did Hezekiab,) upon your sick bed, and threaten to cut 
off tbe thread of your lives ? Would you not with him turn 
your faces to the wall, and weep sore ? And yet I tell you 
Hezekiab bad done a great deal of work for God during the 
time of his reign unto this sickness ; and yet be wept. Youth, 
middle aged man. What hast thoic done ? 

Peradventure you will plead your small capacity, and that 
you are but of mean degree ; an obscure person ; and exer- 
cised in low employments, and of weak parts, etc. Yea, but 
still wbat saith Hezekiab? "Tbe livino- — the livino;, — he 
shall praise Thee." And are not you living ? are you not alive : 
For, any man or woman living may praise tbe Lord, or else 
Hezekiab saith not well. 

2d. You that are stricken in years, you have much to account 
for. For you bave lived long, and perhaps are now "grown old, 
but bave you been old Traders? Yes, as to a worldly account, 
Yea, but there is another and a better trade, and wbat have you 
done therein ? Oh ! bow many opportunities have you outlived, 
which will never bave their resurrection ? If, therefore, you 
sbould say as John the Baptist's bearers. What shall we do then ? 
I answer — 

1st. Be humbled for jour former neglects and misspence of 
time, who in doing much have hitherto done nothing, and judge 
yourselves for your omissions. 

2d. Bring forth fruit meet for repentance ; old ojDportunities 
may not return, but God may be pleased to provide new occa- 
sions, whereby to bring forth frait in old age. It seems Nieo- 
demus was an old man when be came to Christ by night. 

3c?. Make up in affection wbat may be wanting in action. If 
you cannot do much, yet love much. And you have cause 
enough to do so, in that God hath given you to live so long, 
who bave done so little. 



hooke's discourse in 1673. 149 

A.th. Stir up others to work for God, that what you cannot do 
by your own hands you may do by others. 

6th. Pray for death-bed Grace, Faith, Hope, Patience, Peace of 
Conscience, composedness of Spirit, and such a frame as is fit 
to glorify God, and edify others, as your kst farewell to friends. 
If God grant you this mercy, you may, perhaps, do as much 
good dying, as ever you did living. It was so with the Peni- 
tent thief upon the Cross. 

3c? use of Exhortation. 

If there are opportunities of performing service to God in 
this world, which are not to be enjoyed after death, and the 
saints do that for God here, which they cannot do in Heaven, 
then, be not too eager in your desires to die. This was JoVs 
weakness. We must not be too forward to dig our own graves. 
We may prepare them, as Joseph of Arimathea did, and also 
we must prepare ybr them ; but let us not dig them impatiently 
or importunately. Life is a great mercy, yea, length of days. 
It is annexed to the obedience of the fifth commandment. ' ' With 
long life will I satisfy him," is promised the righteous. Will 
not the child of God be satisfied without length of days 'I Yes, 
he is satisfied to die when God pleaseth. Abraham, Isaac, 
David and Job died full of days. Take heed. It is time 
enough to go to a glorious Eternity, when called, and when you 
are there, you will never say, you came not thither soon enough. 
Here is more service for you to do. Do not love your reward 
beyond your work. A lazy servant will be often listening to 
the clock, or looking upon the Sun, and longing for the evening, 
not minding so much his work as his wages. 

Ath use of Exhortation. 

If the people of God can do more service for Him on Earth 
than in Heaven, be exhorted to prize their lives ; pray for them 
to improve them. If Hezekiah here had died of his sickness, 
the people of God would soon have raised him, as when at last 
he died they did, for you know what came after. Consider what 
13* 



150 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON-. 

a deal of good ceasetli with the life of a good man. It is true 
his ivorJcs live, but his working is dead. Ministers shall preach 
no more ; church officers rule no more ; dispense no more. 
Public Spirits act no more. True, their examples, sayings, 
writings, memoirs, fruits of their former works may survive. 
But their persons, personal actings, delightful presence, sweet 
fellowship, wholesome counsels and ready helpfulness are dead 
and gone. Whereas these are great mercies, and many will say 
so, when they are gone, who made but little of them, while they 
had them. You know how the Elders of Ephesus, and the 
Brethren of Miletus wept at Paul's parting, sorrowing most of 
all, that they should see his face no more, and yet, after that, 
he lived many years, and wrote an excellent epistle to the church 
at Ephesus. Oh ! how would they have wept, had he then died 
at Miletus ! 'Bui few precious ones are prized enough till dead, 
and perhaps not then neither. The Israelites did not sufficiently 
value Samuel when he grew old, but when they had tasted 
what Saul was, and that Samuel also was taken away by 
death, then they all lamented him. Yea, and Saul himself also 
wanted him, who little regarded him whilst living. Bring me 
up Samuel, saith he to the witch at Endor. He that before 
would not go to Samuel, will now go to the Devil for him. 
Bring me up Samuel — yes, rake him by all means out of his 
grave, and oh ! that Saul could but once more speak with Sam- 
uel ! Oh ! know the price of living saints, especially the most 
useful ones. You that are children and have godly Parents, 
who have made known the truth to you, take heed you think not 
they have lived too long, but know, that it is your mercy if they 
die full of years, and come to their graves in a fidl age, like as 
a shock of corn cometh in its season. Improve their lives and 
lament their deaths, as Isaac lamented Sarah. I beseech you, 
love and honor your godly Parents. 

^)th, and final use of Exhortation. 

Seeing there is more service to be done on Earth than in 
Heaven, how should this exalt Christ Jesus in oui' hearts and 



hooke's discourse in 1673. 151 

enlarge them in love to Him, who, as He wrought so much for 
lis on Earth, so still is He at work for us in Heaven. He, He 
is the Great Worker in the Highest World. Alas ! we can do 
little for Christ in Earth, and less in Heaven — yet Jesus 
Christ, whether in Earth or Heaven, is still at work for us. It 
is not with Him as with us. Heaven takes the work out of our 
hands, but it puts it into His ! For thither is He gone to take 
and heejo joossession and to prepare i^laces for us. There He 
executeth His Mediatory Office, continually appears and makes 
intercession for us, sheds abroad His Spirit, gives commission 
to the angels, and gifts unto men, calleth and gathereth in His 
elect ones, enableth us to work on Earth, governs the world, 
upholds the church, and subdues their enemies. All the icork 
of Heaven lies upon Christ's hands, and it is well it doth, or 
what would become of us on Earth ! 

And as this should raise our esteem and love of Christ, so 
should it quicken us, the more to work for Him on Earth, seeing 
He is still at work for us in Heaven. He wrought above thirty 
years for us here on Earth, but in Heaven above sixteen hun- 
dred, and thus he will continue His work to the end of the world, 
To Him, therefore, be Glory and Honor forever and ever, Amen. 



152 THE MIJnSTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Note C. Page 73. 

I REQUESTED my friend and former classmate, Rev. Greorge P. 

Smitli, of Worcester, to make an examination of the Discourse 

of Hooke on the 11th chapter of the EeveUition, found in the 

Worcester Library, and he has kindly forwarded me the following 

notice : 

A 

DISC OURSE 

concerning 

THE WITNESSES, 

Relating to the 
Time, Place and Manner 
of their heing slain. 

William Hooke, late Preacher 
of the Gospel. 

LONDON 

Printed by J. Atwood, for Thomas Cocheril, at the Three 
Legs in the Poultry, over against the Stocks-Market, 1681. 

The book begins abruptly on page 1. 

" Ques. 1. Whether the witnesses were slain ?" author answers, 
" I dare not be definitive," etc., says text is partly civil and 
partly spiritual. Slain not in the streets of Rome but street, i. e. 
in some province, i. e. Grermany, say some. He proceeds neg- 
atively at great length, 7iot here, not there, not this street, etc. 
The most definite answer I find is, that the Witnesses slain, are 
dead in laiv, as if in body. 

Ques. 2. What if we should see such a slaughter and yet 
not the Resurrection of v. 11, for 3|- years ? 

Here "dare not be positive whether Witnesses are slain or not." 
Here, negatively again, and an essay on Scripture "Resurrec- 
tions" and "Babylon." On verse 11, he says, "The Spirit of 
Life entering them, they first rise on their knees and palms of 



hooke's discourse in 1681. 153 

their hands and there they stick awhile, at last they stand up- 
right but trembling," etc. This makes enemies tremble, v. 12 ! 

Occasionally he uses words which imply a political reference, 
as when the Witnesses ascend, the great city will descend and 
pay tythe "■ for its late blood guiltyness." 

Concerning verse 13, he proceeds in the same obscure 
manner — defining scriptural earthquakes. The Apocalyptic 
are 1, of the Roman Pagan world. 2, of Roman Christian. 
3, 4, 5, Romish anti-Christian. Of the tenth he says, Great 
Brittainy must be one part. He says obscurely, That all Rome 
is guilty and in peril, as well as that part where witnesses are 
slain. On page 36, he speaks of ''this slaughter'''' like the one 
in France in 1572, yet not designating what. On page 41, he 
is more explicit. "For though they (the witnesses) arQ not 
literally slain, i. e. not as men, but as witnesses, yet the Lord 
accounts it slaughter, yea and their very enemies account them as 
naturally dead, and they are greatly Oppressed, Yexed, Silenc- 
ed, Imprisoned, Impoverished, and cruelly handled, and so, that 
it hasteneth also the death of some of them, (page 41. Here 
he evidently points to the ejected ministers) and reacheth also 
to the blood (as I may say) of many thousands of souls who 
depended upon their Ministry," etc. On page 43 — And do 
we think now that all the prayers that have been made within 
these few years, by the saints in the world, will not end in a 
dreadful earthcjuake. 

His plan is textual. Each clause is pregnant with meaning. 
Old Testament history is scattered all along and liberal quota- 
tions from the Bible. But his aim so far as I can get it, is, at 
the great ones, acting for Rome, who have silenced ministers, 
and he assures all such, that the saints' prayers are earth-shak- 
ing. His lastly is, " We see what a shaking world we live in." 

This pamphlet of 48 pages, is bound with many others. The 
one before it, is on these same verses by T. Beverly. The one 
before that is on the Prophetical History of the Great Re-Refor- 
mation, that is to be in 1697. By T. Beverly, in 1689. 
The previous one by the same man, on the opening of some seal 



154 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

in 1697. The Look contains an original letter to Increase Mather, 
by T. B., accompanying one of his Treatises which is a reply to 
Baxter. From all which I gatlier, that just about then (from 1680 
to 1690) there was a discussion on the Millenium, and men 
were busy expounding prophecy, so as to make the Bible a his- 
tory of events then passing. I find no reference to * Regi- 
cides, nor do I think any such was intended. The witnesses, he 
thouo'ht ministers : their slauohter, was to kill them as ministers. 

SUPPLEMENTAKY NOTE. 

The letter which follows was received througb the kindness 
of the Hon. Abbott Lawrence, after the preceding sheets were 
committed to the press. It is inserted as expressive of the deep 
interest which not a few of our trans-atlantic brethren feel in 
everything which relates to the early history of New-England • 
although the kind endeavors of Bev. Mr. Waddington to shea 
light on the past and present condition -of the Hooke family in 
the mother country have as yet unfortunately failed of the suc- 
cess which we had hoped. 

Surrey Square, June 29, 1852. 
Dear Sir : 

I regret more than I can well express my want of success in 
the enquiries I have made with a view to obtain the information 
you seek relative to Mr. Hooke one of the founders of Taunton. 
I sent your letter and pamphlet to a correspondent in Taunton. 
It was long detained, but no particulars were furnished, except 
that the name is common in that neighborhood. I have put 
the narrative into the hands of another gentleman in that vicin- 
ity, but as yet have received no reply. I suppose you have 
seen the letter sent by Hooke to Cromwell which is printed in 
Thurlow's State Papers. In the course of other researches it 
is simply possible that some facts may come to light — but the 

* The autlior of a brief notice of Hooke in one of the Taunton pa- 
pers remarks : '• This Avork was written probably on the execution of 
King Charles's Judges." An examination of the work proves this incor- 
rect. It was suggested by the persecution of ministers. 



waddington's letter. 155 



ravao-es of time and the fires of London have consiMed many 
papers that would be to us of untold value. The wonder is that 
so much remains. Recently I discovered a large file of Amer- 
ican letters, (from Mayhew, Eliot, Mather, Sewall, &c.,) and 
sent copies of a considerable number to the Massachusetts So- 
ciety. Other papers I am continually meeting with, but this is 
incidentally. The difiiculty of answering specific enquiries is 
very great. Most certainly I will send without delay anything 
I may meet with about Mr. Hooke. The pleasure I should feel 
in aiding you in your object would amply repay any amount of 
care or labor needful to secure it. 2Jr. Lawrence has kindly 
undertaken to receive any letter or other document by the Des- 
patch Bag — so that I hope to hoar from you. Do not fail to 
send me whatever you publish that can throw light on the nioral 
history of the early settlers in New-England. The accompany- 
ing pamphlet* I send for your kind acceptance. It must be 
considered as a mere outline of a more extended narrative. 

Again expressing my sincere regret that I have found nothing, 
and with assurances of fraternal interest and sympathy, 

I am, dear sir, 

Yours faithfully, 

John Waddington. 

Eev. S. Hopkins Emery. 

* Historical notice of the Church of the Pilgrim Fathers, Southwark, 
of which Rev. Mr. Waddington is Pastor. 



156 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



CHAPTER III. 

REV. NICHOLAS STREET, THE SECOND MINISTER OF 

TAUNTON. 

Mr. Nicholas Street, having been set apart to the 
work of the ministry in Taunton on the same day with the 
Installation of Mr. Hooke, and associated with him as 
Teacher, on the removal of Hooke to New-Haven, suc- 
ceeded him both as Pastor and Teacher. Although con- 
temporaneous with the first, as his successor also, he may 
be properly regarded as the second minister of the town. 
We know less, unfortunately, of the ministerial or private 
life of the second than of the first Taunton minister. The 
only memorial of him in town, is the little bridge extend- 
ing over Mill River, in Spring street, which to this day 
bears the name of "Street's Bridge." That he was not 
scantily endowed, however, with mind or ministerial quali- 
fications, is to be inferred from the fact, he vras called to 
succeed Mr. Hooke in New-Haven, which for the second 
time sought its supply of an able ministry in the Plymouth 
colony,* and from the additional fact, that he was regarded 
competent, not only to be associated with the distinguished 
Davenport, but on the removal of Davenport to Boston, 
as Wilson's successor, to take the entire charge of the 
church which had been, for many years, favored with the 

* Note A. 



NICHOLAS STREET. 15' 



joint ministrations of two of the most eminent men in New- 
England. The date of Mr. Street's settlement in New- 
Haven, as it appears on the church records, is "the 26th 
of the 9th, 1659." He was therefore a Pastor in Taim- 
ton rather more than twenty years. A colleague with the 
venerahlc Davenport until 1668, he continued the sole 
minister of the church which no common men had fed with 
knowledge for just a score and a half of years, till the 
day of his death, which occurred the 22d of April, 1674, 
having been a Pastor, Teacher, and faithful minister of 
the New Testament in Taunton and New-PIaven, nearly 
forty years. Dr. Bacon, after reviewing the latter period 
of that ministry in New-Haven, 23ronounces him "a pious, 
judicious, modest man," and "no inferior preacher." 

Mr. Street married for his first wife, a sister of Eliz- 
abeth Pool, the foundress of Taunton. His second Avife 
was the relict of Gov. Newman. The inventory of his 
estate appears on the New-Haven probate records. The 
entire estate, mcluding £136. 17s. 5d., which belonged 
to his second wafe, Mrs. Newman, (and which by the will 
was to be her's exclusively,) was X463. 16s. Plis books 
were valued at X46. He had by him in hard money, 
£11, 12s. 6f?. 

Farmer, quoting from Dodd's East Haven Register, gives 
us a list of the children of Mr. Street, viz : Samuel, Su- 
sannah, Sarah, Abiah, Hannah, all of whom married. 
From the same source we derive the names of the three 
wives and thirteen children of the eldest child of Mr. 
Street, Rev. Samuel Street, a graduate of Harvard Uni- 
vei^ity in 1664, ordained at Wallingford, Connectigut, in 
1674, who also died January 16th, 1717. 
14 



158 THE MINISTRY OF TAl^NTON. 

He married (1) Anna Miles, Nov. 3cl, 1664; children: 
(1) Anna, b. 1665. (2) Samuel, b. 166T. (3) Mary, 
b. 1670. (4) Nicholas, b. July 14, 167T. (5) Sarah, b. 
1681. 

He married (2) Mardhire Daniels; children: 
(6) Samuel 2d, b. 1685. (7) James, b. 1686. (8) 
Anna. 

He married (3) Hannah Glover ; children : 
(9) Eleanor, b. 1691. (10) Nathaniel, b. 1693. (11) 
Elnathan, b. Sept. 2d, 1695, who was father of Rev. 
Nicholas Street, a graduate of Yale College in 1751, and 
minister of East-Haven, Conn., b. February 21, 1730. 
(12) Mary, b. 1698. (13) John, b. 1703. 

Through a letter received "March 17th, 1852," from 
Eliza Dodd, writing for her husband, the compiler of the 
East-Haven Register, then blind, I learn, that " of the chil- 
dren of Rev. Nicholas Street, of East-Haven," grandson 
of the Taunton minister, through Samuel his eldest child, 
"Nicholas Street is all that is left, being eighty years old 
that very month. Rev. Owen Street, son of Nicholas," 
and a descendant of the Taunton minister, of the fifth 
generation, " is now in the ministry in North-Haven," 
doing his part, as he informs me in a letter dated March 
30, 1852, '" to keep up the clerical line." His grandfather, 
Rev. Nicholas Street, who was also grandson of Rev. 
Nicholas Street, " was for fifty-one years Pastor of the 
Congregational church in East-Haven." Erom the fath- 
er of the East-Haven minister, who was Elnathan, the 
son of Samuel, and a deacon, "is descended in another' ^ 
line, Hon. Randall Street, of Poughkeepsie, for a time 
Member of Congi-ess, and father of Alfred B. Street of 
Albany, the Poet." "T have met the name," remarks 



NICHOLAS STIIEET. 159 



Rev. Owen Street, " in Boston, New-York, Philadelphia, 
Charleston and NcAv-Orleans. The name is not extinct in 
England. Macaulay speaks of one Baron Street of no 
very desirable reputation, and we are bj no means anxious 
to claim him in our ancestry. One of the Proprietors of 
the London Times, I believe the chief Proprietor, bears 
our name."* 

The Pastor of the WaUingford church, (Rev. E. R. Gil- 
bert,) writes thus concerning the '' Rev. Samuel Street, 
the first Pastor 'of the Congregational Church" there. 
He was the son of Rev. Nicholas Street, first of Taunton, 
afterwards of New'-TIaven ; Mr. Samuel Street was also one 
of the thirty-eight, who settled this town." Mr. Gilbert 
kindly supplies us with- the following extract from Dr. 
Dana's Century Sermon, in -which he gives some account 
of WaUingford from 1670 to 1770 : ''Mr. Street (one of 
the undertakers and committee for the settlement) was 
first Pastor, and near forty years of age when he first 
preached to this people, 1672. He was son to the afore- 
said Nicholas Street, teaching elder of New-Haven church. 
He moved with his family hither, April, 1673, the tow^n 
havino- agreed to build him a house. He had an annual 
salary before any church was gathered here. Mr. Street 
died Jan. 16, 1717, being eighty-two years old, having 
been settled Pastor forty-two years. He was esteemed 
an heavenly man. His son Nicholas moved and settled at 
Groton. His eldest son (Samuel) has three sons nov/ liv- 
ing in town, (1770) viz : Capt. Elnathan Street, and 

-" Mr. Street adds in his letter : " I made some inquiry a year ago of 
Augustus Street, Esq., of New-Haven, as to what miglit be known of a 
remoter ancestry, (knoAving that he had recently visited England.) and 
learned that he made some investigations, and employed an agent to 
prosecute the matter, but soon after he left, that agent died, and the bu- 
siness was arrested there, with no results." 



160 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

Messrs. Samuel and John Street. The eldest daiia^hter 
was married to Deacon John Peck, and died before her 
father. One was married to Theophilus Yale, Esq. ; 
another to Joshua Culver. The two last arc still Hving. 
The widow of Rev. Samuel Street died Jiilj 19, 1730." 
It is to be inferred that the descendants of the Taunton 
minister are very numerous, and that thej are distributed 
throughout the country.* No sermon of his, either printed 
cr in Mss. has come under mj eje. The New-Haven 
Records make us acquainted Avith one fact in his history, 
which reveal the high consideration in which he was held, 
not only by the church, but by the colonists generally. In 
1862, at a meeting of the freemen of New-Haven, to con- 
sider whether they would resign' their independence as a 
town, and come beneath the jurisdiction of Connecticut, 
Messrs. Davenport and Street were present, and stren- 
uously and successfully opposed the measure. Mr. Daven- 
enport spoke first, Mr. Street followed in the debate. He 
declared that he looked upon Mr. Davenport's arguments 
as unanswerable. He thought that "both church and 
town had cause to bless God for the wisdom held forth in 
them." He exhorted the freemen " to keep the ends and 
rules of Christ in their eye, and then God would stand by 
them ;" and he concluded by seconding Mr. Davenport's 
directions respecting an answer, " with one scripture out 
of Isaiah 14 : 32, (" What shall one then answer the mes- 
sengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, 
and the poor of His people shall trust in it,") and from 
thence did advise that the answer should bo of faith and 
not of fear." The decision of the meeting, after a full 
debate, was in accordance with the advice thus given. 

* In a letter received from Dr. Bacon, lie says : " the descendants of 
Nichola; Street have been numerous and respectable, every person of 
that name in tlic United States, (so far as T know.) Iieinp: of that stock." 



NICHOLAS STREET. 161 



The same year (16G2) a synod of the churches of 
Massachusetts mtroduced by a small majority, the innova- 
tion of the "half way covenant," i. c. the practice of 
baptizing the children of non-professors. Against this 
iMessr^. Davenport and Street, although not acting mem- 
bers of the sjaiod, remonstrated. President Chauncey of 
Harvard University, Increase Mather and other eminent 
men were on their side. When the result of the synod 
vras published to the world, an elaborate reply followed 
from the pen of Davenport, with a prefatory notice by In- 
crease Mather, and a brief but able supplementary paper 
prepared by Nicholas Street. In the absence of a ser- 
mon, it is proposed to reprint the above named production 
of the second Taunton minister.* There is another relic 
of our minister, which is not without its interest. When 
in 1668, to the great grief of the New-Haven church, Mr. 
Davenport removed to Boston to take charge of the first 
church, as successor to Wilson and Norton, both synodists, 
or ''half way covenant" advocates, Mr. Davenport being 
the champion of the anti-synodists, a correspondence 
sprung up between the churches, resulting from the un- 
willingness of the New-Haven church to lose its minister, 
only a fragment of which, in the form of a letter from Mr. 
Street in the name of his church to the Boston church, 
remains. That fragment is a precious memorial of the 
man concerning whom the remissness of past generations 
permits us to know too little. The remnant of the letter 
is thus : 

" Though you judge it the last expedient for your relief, 
and fthe remedy of some evils groAving in the country, as 

* Note B. 

t The majority of the first church, being anti-S3-noclists, hoped the 
presence of such a powerful man as Davenport in the place would effee- 

14* 



162 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

also we might do the same, if we had nothing before our 
ejes but his accomplishments and fitness for high service 
to God in His church ; but being so much in the dark 
about his waj in leaving this church and joining to yours, 
that we are not without doubts and fears of some Uncom- 
fortable issue, we therefore cannot clearly act in such a 
waj as is expected and desired. We are of the same 
mind as wiien we returned an answer to your first letter, 
thus expressing ourselves : ' We see no cause nor call of 
God, to resign our Reverend Pastor to the church of Bos- 
ton by any immediate act of ours, therefore not by a for- 
mal dismission under our hands.' It is our great grief and 
sore afiliction, that we cannot do for him, whom we so 
highly esteem in love for his work's sake, and profitable 
labors among us, what is desired, without wrong to our 
consciences. Any thing that we have or are, beside our 
consciences, we are ready to lay down at his feet. Such 
is our honorable respect to him, our love to peace, our de- 
sire of your supply, that we shall go as far as we safely 
can, in order to his and your satisfaction in this matter, 
having before us for our warrant. Acts 21 : 14, ^ When 
he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying. The will of 
the Lord be done.' Therefore, to suppress what we 
could say touching that passage in our first letter whereof 
such hold hath been taken, and what we have said in our 

tually check the growth of that evil which they dreaded. They were 
disappointed in their sanguine hope. The minority of the church'seced 
ed, and formed Avhat is now known as the " Old South Church," and a 
very unhapjn' difi^"erence sprung up between the churches. Teh evil 
which they feared increased, and it is within the memory of the present 
generation, that the views of Davenport and Street have obtained the 
general assent of the order of churches to which they ministered. Thus 
imperfect is the judgment of short sighted man. ]S^or is it the first time 
forced removals have proved a change not for the better but for the 
worse. 



NICHOLAS STREET. 163 



last letter to you, of our Reverend Pastor's making null 
the liberty before granted which we doubt not we are able 
clearly to demonstrate, yet if this will satisfy, (but not 
otherwise) Ave are content to wave and hury in silence, 
and leave both yourselves and him to make what improve- 
ment you see cause (Avithout any clog or impediment from 
us on that account) of the liberty before mentioned.' * As 
he hath been a faithful laborer in God's vineyard at New- 
Haven for many years, to the bringing home of many 
souls to God, and building up of many others ; so it is and 
shall be our prayer to God to lengthen his life and tran- 
quiUity in Boston, to double his Spirit upon him, assist him 
in his work, and make him a blessed instrument of much 
good to yourselves and many others. The Good Lord 
pardon, on all hands, what he hath seen amiss in these 
actings and motions, that no sinful malignity may obstruct 
or hinder God's blessing upon churches, or church ad- 
ministrations. As himself and his son have desired, we do 
dismiss unto your holy fellowship, Mr. John Davenport, 
Jr., and Mrs. Davenport, elder and younger, desiring you 
to receive them in the Lord as becometh saints, and im- 
ploring Almighty God for His blessing upon them from his 
holy ordinances in their communion and walking with you. 
The God of all Grace supply all your and our need, ac- 
cording to his riches in glory through Jesus Christ. Thus 
craving your prayers for us in our afflicted condition we 
take our leave, and rest yours in the fellowship of the 
Gospel. 

NICHOLAS STREET, 
in the name and with the consent of the 
Church of Christ at New-Haven.' 



jj* 



* The date of the letter, of which these fragments were found, among 



164 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

This fragmentaiy production of Street speaks volumes 
for him as a man of wisdom and grace. He certainly 
showed himself the equal of his eminent colleague in pru- 
dence and forethought. The letter could not well breathe 
a better spirit. It reveals a man rid of that petty jealousy 
w^hich cannot endure a rival, which covets not co-partner- 
ship. The extreme reluctance of Street to part with his 
distino-uished associate, indicates an unfeimed attachment 
towards him, and no fear, lest '' so considerable a Gideon 
as Mr. Davenport," (as Hooke was pleased to style him,) 
should leave no room for one of the "lesser lights" to 
revolve. 

the papers of the Old South Church, is " 12. 8. 68." i. e. 12 Oct. 1668. 
The last page is numbered 155, indicating a long letter. It is directed 
" to the Revd Elder of the Church of Boston, Mr. James Penn, to be 
communicated to the church." There is a brief note attached to it by 
another hand which is nearly illegible. This letter furnishes the only 
specimen of the chirography of Mr. Street. It is a A'cry fair hand. His 
autograph, through the kindness of Doctor Blagden, the present pastor 
of the Old South Church, is transferred to this book. I learn from Dr. 
Bacon, tliat the signature of Mr. Street, or Mr. Hooke does not appear 
on the records of the New- Haven church. They "were kept either by 
the ruling elder or by the deacons." 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER THREE. 



Note A. Page 156. 

It has been stated, Mr. Street left Taunton on account of in- 
adequate support, and Dr. Bacon, in view of " liis household 
chattels, as distinct from what were his wife's," (his second 
wife being the relict of Governor Newman,) is ready to believe 
that "he escaped from the Plymouth Colony in a somewhat im- 
poverished condition." It is indeed true, what Mather ob- 
serves, (3Iagnalia I. 14: iii. 114,) that there was toward the 
latter part of the 17th century, in the leading colony, "an hour 
of temptation, a dark hour of eclipse," when the peojile thought 
more of the unpremeditated "preachments of those whom they 
called gifted brethren," than of the thoroughly digested, well 
prepared discourses of a learned and able ministry. It is 
doubtless true, (what not only Mather, but Baylies and other 
credible historians state,) that "the Plymouth Colony at this 
period was almost wholly destitute of ministers," and that 
' ' Samuel Newman of Rehoboth was almost the only minister 
whose invincible patience held out under the scandalous neglect 
of the ministry which the whole colony of Plymouth was for a 
while bewitched into." However much we mii>;ht wish to be- 
lieve it otherwise, Taunton may have been thus foolishly "be- 
witched." Unlike the church of New-Haven, which refused its 
consent to the removal of Mr. Davenport, when their bereave- 
ment was only partial, our fathers may have been too willing to 
part with its only minister, in a season of temporary coldness. 
Elizabeth' Pool was dead. Her brother had returned to Dor- 
chester. Many of the fathers had fallen asleep. A generation 
was springing up who had not learned of the "virgin mother" 
of the town, and who instead of desiring two, were quite willing 



166 THE MINISTRY OE TAUNTON. 

to be bereaved of hoth ministers. Massacliusetts looked upon 
the state of things in its sister colony Avith alarm. She had just 
laid the foundation of Harvard Colle2:e with no other end in 
view, but a timely provision for a learned, and godly ministry. 
Her note of warning — of loud, kind but faithful remonstrance, 
rings throughout the treacherous colony. "Having heard," 
say they, ' ' sometime since that our neighbor colony of Ply- 
mouth, our beloved brethren, in a great part, seem to be want- 
ing to themselves, in a due acknowledgment of, and encourage- 
ment to the ministers of the Gospel, so as many pious ministers 
of the Gospel have (how justly we know not) deserted their 
stations, callings, and relations ; our desire is, that some such 
course might be taken, as that a pious orthodox ministry may 
be reinstated amongst them, that so the flood of error and prin- 
ciples of anarchy, which will not long be kept out where Satan 
and his instruments are so prevalent as to prevail to the crying 
down of ministry and ministers, may be prevented." 

This note of salutary warning was heeded. In 1655, we 
find the General Court thus reminding the people of Plymouth 
Colony of their duty. 

"Whereas there have been many complaints for want of due 
maintenance for ministers, (as some have reported,) It is there- 
fore enacted by the Court, that no Pastor or Teacher of any 
congregation shall remove before his complaint hath been ten- 
dered to the magistrates, and they have heard both sides. That 
upon such complaint, if there appears to be a real defect in the 
hearers of ministers, so complaining, the magistrates shall use 
all gentle means to upbraid them to do their duty therein, but 
if any of them shall not be thereby reclaimed, but shall resist 
through plain obstinacy, against an ordinance of God, then it 
shall be in the power of the magistrates to use such other means 
as may put them upon tlieir duty." 

We find the magistrates in some cases proceeding to coercive 
measures, and at length, constrained by the laxity of a part, it 
became the settled policy of the Government to provide for the 
support of the ministry by law. 



SUPrORT OF MINISTERS 167 



The Commissioners of the Colonies, in a general exposition 
of their views on this subject, embody them in the form of a 
series of propositions : 

"1. We cannot, without broach of charity, but take it for 
a thing granted generally by the inhabitants of the United Col- . 
onies, that an able orthodox ministry is a precious fruit of 
Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension, and necessary for 
the spiritual good of His people, and to be daily sought after in 
every society or township within the several jurisdictions. 

2. And secondly, that a competent maintenance, proportiona- 
ble to the ability of the place, and necessity of the ministry, is 
a debt of justice and charity. 

3. Hence, thirdly, the minister may justly expect it from the 
society and township wherein he labors. 

4. The reference or relation of a minister being to the whole 
society, jointly, whether in church or not, his expectation of 
maintenance and the debt of justice is from the whole society 
jointly. 

5. Although the society may, according to their discretion, 
use diverse ways to raise his maintenance, yet if the ways be 
ineffectual, though the defect may be by some particular person, 
yet the society cannot be discharged but is the debtor. 

6. The engagement being on the society, and that according 
to religion and right reason, it necessarily followeth, that the 
society be enabled with sufficient power to discharge itself. 

7. Therefore the General Courts shall declare such a power to 
be in such societies that there may be no pretence in them for 
want thereof; and if any society or township shall be wanting, 
either out of neglect or opinion, to procure and maintain an Or- 
thodox ministry according to the Gospel, we conceive by the 
rules of Scripture, and practice of not only cliiistian govern- 
ments, but even of heathen, (who not only held their sacra in 
veneration but took care of those who had the keeping of them 
and the charge of making known the mysteries) that the sever- 
al General Courts stand charged with the care, that the people 
professing Christianity own and live according to the rules and 



168 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

ordinances of their profession, and that the dispensers thereof 
be encouraged as aforesaid. The maintenance of the ministers 
being a debt of justice from the society, and the society being 
empowered to discharge it, if any particular person shall be de- 
fective in the society, they ought to be ordered by the ordinary 
course of justice." 

Thus thought, and thus reasoned our fathers. * ' For a long- 
period," remarks Mr. Baylies, "the disinterested zeal of the 
ministers and the fervent piety of the people prevented the ne- 
cessity of legal contracts between them. The engagement be- 
tween a minister and his congregation was held to be of a spirit- 
ual, and not of a civil character. But zeal alone could not fur- 
nish bread, and the wants of the minister did not diminish in 
the same ratio with the attachment of the people. A wild spirit 
(engendered perhaps in England) had gone forth, which pro- 
claimed war on carnal learnino;, and relied for relioious instruc- 
tion upon the miserable crudities of "gifted men," upon whose 
minds it was fondly hoped a Divine influence was operating, 
which superseded the necessity of "book learning," and that 
the "Word of the Lord niiglit as well proceed from the lips of 
such rude, unlettered expounders, as from such as had in pain 
ful watchings by their midnight lamps, mastered all the intrica- 
cies of the primeval languages of the Scriptures, and expouDded- 
the Holy Writings after a critical investigation of their analogies, 
and a careful comparison of the evidence." 

It is very certain that the first generation of our fathers were 
agreed in their views on the subject of an educated ministry. 
Then- ministers may challenge a comparison with the same num- 
ber of men in the same profession at any period or] in any part 
of the world. Nor did a majority of their descendants, even in 
Plymouth Colony, adopt different views, as their declaration of 
sentiments in the meeting of the United Colonies, already quot. 
ed, and their subsequent stringent legislation on the subject in- 
dicate. We may liope Taunton was never one of the most de- 
generate towns in the colony in this particular. The most favor- 
able construction to lie put on the removal of Mr. Street to 



LOST PRODUCTION OF STREET. 169 

New-Haven is this, that he was too ready to follow the bad ex- 
ample of his associate in Taunton, and predecessor in New- 
Haven, and that whereas Taunton loved not her ministers less — 
New-Haven loved them more. 

Note B. Page 161 . 

The production of Mr. Street to which I had hoped to gain 
access, is beyond my reach, as the correspondence which follows 
will explain : 

'■'■New-Haven, Tuesday, 6 July, 1852. 
Rev. S. Hopkins Emery — 

Dear Sir : — The copy of Davenport's reply to the Synod with 
an appendix by Street, v/hich I used in preparing my Historical 
Discourses, belonged to Rev. Dr. Robbins, now the Librarian 
of the Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford. I dare say 
he would lend it to you, as he lent it to me. 

I think it must be somewhere in Boston, though I was not 
able to find it there in 1838. The Library of the Historical 
Society must have grown since then, and the Old South Library 
has been catalogued. The Antiquarian Library at Worcester, 
can hardly fail of having a copy, though I know nothing of it 
by personal acquaintance. 

Yours truly, 

Leonard Bacon." 

*' Hartford, July lUt, 1852. 
Rev. S. Hopkins Emery — 

Dear Sir : — I am glad that you are engaged in writing some- 
thing about the early ministers of Taunton. I know but little 
of their history. Mr. Ephraun Judson, who was there from 
some time in the Revolution to about the year 1790, I knew. 
You speak of a volume which you say Dr. Bacon informed you 
that I owned. I conclude you refer to Dr. Bacon of New- 
Haven. I had such a book as you describe some years ago ; 
but I suspect Dr. Bacon has seen it since I have. That book 
had several very valuable ancient articles, such as you refer to. 
15 



170 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

I lent it with very great reluctance to a minister in Philadelphia, 
and from him it was carried to Boston, to a gentleman, who 
was an editor of an important periodical. It was not returned 
as promised. It was a very rare work, and I suppose it has 
gone, as valuable books that are lent to friends often are. If 
you will find it, I will give you five dollars for it.* I shall be 
glad of a copy of your work when completed. 

Yours, very respectfully, 

Thomas Robbixs." 

I do not publish the Doctor's letter for the sake of advertis- 
ing his lost book, but that it may appear how a little remissness 
in the care of ancient and rare productions may deprive com- 
munity of them forever. The only " production" of the second 
Taunton minister which has survived him is probably lost. It 
is not to be found in any of the collections of the writings of 
our fathers known to me in Massachusetts. 

* I have received a second letter from Dr. Robbing, since the above 
was in type, in -which he says : "I would give ten dollars for it gladly, 
but I do not believe it will ever be seen in this place, and probably no 
other that I know of. I have had the painful experience of losing such 
articles, by lending them to oblige friends." 



GEORGE SHOVE. 171 



CHAPTER IV. 

KEV. GEORGE SHOVE, THE THIRD MINISTER OF TAUNTON. 

Of the ministerial life of ]\Ir. Shove we can say but 
little, for it is next to nothing which has been transmitted. 
Not the smallest fragment of a MSS., religious or secular, 
remains. In the absence of all documentarj evidence and 
traditional accounts, it would be unbecoming in us to af- 
firm any thing positive concerning the success or failure of 
Mr. Shove in his high and holy calling.* His fame, how- 
ever, as a landholder and dealer in real estate has not fail- 
ed to reach us. He is represented as having been largely 
concerned in the secular transactions of the town, and 
possessed of considerable wealth. If it be true, what 
some have affirmed, that the ministers of Plymouth Colony 
about this time were sufiering for want of adequate sup- 
port, it is easy to account for this temporar}^ diversion of 
the ministry of Taunton from their appropriate work, — 
their success in husbandry, and consequent improvement 
in their worldly circumstances. A minister who is obliged 
to turn aside from the duties of his profession to provide 

* That Mr. Shove was highly esteemed, and his prayers irnich valued 
by one at least of his parishioners, is apparent from the fragment of a 
letter Avhich has been preserved. Anthony Slocum, on removing from 
Taunton to Dartmouth, of v.'hich place he was an early settler, thus 
writes to William Harvey, his brother-in-law: '• To the church of Christ 
in Taunton, and INIr. Shove and yourself in particular, I desire to be re- 
membered, whose prayers I doubt not I and mine are the better for, and 
whose welfare I earnestly wish and pray for." 



172 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

the means of support for himself and family, will be the 
most likely to accumulate and leave behind him a large 
property. 

Mr. Shove was one of the proprietors in the Taunton 
North Purchase, embracing the present towns of Norton, 
Easton, and Mansfield. He was also one of the *six orig- 
inal proprietors of Assonet Neck, when that purchase was 
made in 1680. 

Mr. Shove appears to have been a native of Dorches- 
ter,! was ordained at Taunton Nov. 17, 1665, J where he 
lived and labored^ till the day of his death, April 21, 1687. 

* The remaining five were James Walker, James Tisdale, Walter 
Deane, William Harvey, and Eichard Williams. 

t I took this statement from a ne-wspaper account, published some 
years since and accredited to Mr. Baylies. To test its accuracy, I wrote 
a distinguished antiquarian of Dorchester, from whom I received the 
following reply : 

'•I have been very conversant with the names of all the persons, who 
lived in the town previous to 1700, but there was no Shove ever there 
that I could find. There is a George Shove, m. d., who is a physician 
in Yarmoifth Port, Mass., and quite an antiquarian. I presume he 
could give you important information about the matter. Truly yours, 
Ebeu Clap]). Jr." 1 have written to Doctor Shove, but received no re- 
ply. The birth place of tlie Taunton minister is as yet a mystery. 

I This fiict is very briefly stated in the Chronological and Topograrh- 
ical account of Dorchester, by Rev. T. M. Harris, in the 1st series, 
9th vol. of the Collection of Mass. Historical Society, p. 192. The fact 
is taken from the first book of the Dorchester Church Records. Prob- 
ably the church in Dorchester assisted through its pastor, and delegate, 
in the ordination of Mr. Shove. There is a mistake in the printing of 
the name, Shove being called Shone — a mistake corrected in a subse- 
quent volume. 

§ Any fact, even the most incidental and trivial, elucidating these la- 
bors of more than twenty years, is most welcome, in the present painful 
paucity of them. I seized the following with great avidity, a few days 
since, as I was examining the Collections of tlie Massachusetts Histor- 
ical Society. In 1815, some one undertakes to give a view of early 
Free School instruction in Plymouth Colony. In the course of his re- 
marks, he says: "In 1685, according to ]Mr. Shove, there were eighty 
scholais on the list of Taunton school, some of whom had entered Lat- 
in." I think I can discover in this brief notice of Mr. Shove, that he 
was not neglectful of the " Taunton School." Where there was then a 
single school with its eighty scholars, are to be found the present year 
(1852J more than thirty public schools with nearly forty departments. 



GEORGE SHOVE. 173 



He was thrice married. His first wife was Hoiiestill, 
daughter of Rev. Samuel Newman, the distinguished min- 
ister of Rehoboth, whom he married, (according to the 
"Proprietors' records,") July 12, 16G4. Their children 
were as follows : 

(1) Edward, born April 28, 1665 ; buried August 7, 
1665. 

(2) Elizabeth, born August 10, 1666. 

(3) Seth, born December 10, 1667. 

(4) Nathaniel, born January 29, 1668. 

(5) Samuel, born June 16, 1670. 

(6) Sarah, born July 30, 1671. 

Hopestill, wife of Rev. George Shove, died March 7, 
1673. 

He was married the second time to Mrs. Hannah Wal- 
ley, February 16, 1675. Their children: 

(7) Mary, born August 11, 1676. 

(8) Johana, born September 28, 1678. 

(9) Edward, born October 3, 1680, died in Bristol, 
R. I., October 12, 1746. 

(10) Mercy, born November 7, 1682. 

Hannah, his second wife, died September 1685. He 
was married the thh'd time to Mrs. Sarah, widow of Mr. 
Thomas Farwell, one of the original settlers of the town, 
December 8, 1686. 

Through a descendant of the Taunton minister, now 
residing in Berkley, an influential member of the society 



which have reached an aggregate attendance of twenty-two hundi-ed 
scholars, under the direction of not far from fifty teachers. 

From this same article I learned the probable name of the teacher of 
the " Taunton School" of 1685. Josiah Cotton of Plymouth, a teacher 
there in 1698, certifies, that "a Mr. Adams of Taunton fitted him for 
college." This Adams may have been the immediate successor of 
"schoolmaster Bishop." 

15* 



174 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

of Friends, I have been favored with the following record 
of the children of Edward Shove, son to the Rev. George 

Shove, who married Lydia , and had nine children ; 

(1) George and Mary, twins, born June 2, 1705. 

(3) Lydia, born July 31, 1707. 

(4) Ruth, born September 10, 1709. 

(5) Elizabeth, born March 10, 1710. 

(6) Theophilus, born April 7, 1715. 

(7) Edward, born Dec. 21, 1716, died July 22, 1778. 

(8) Hannah, born June 19, 1719. 

(9) Nathaniel, born May 9, 1723. 

Edward, the grandson of the Taunton minister, married 
Phebe Osborn, April 12, 1739. Their children: 

(1) Samuel, born January 29, 1740, died 1763. 

(2) Asa, born March 26, 1741, died in Berkley Octo- 
ber 26, 1826. 

(3) Lydia, born December 4, 1743. 

(4) Phebe, born April 28, 1749. 

Asa, great grandson of the Rev. George Shove, mar- 
ried Elizabeth ColHns, November 12, 1768. Their chil- 
dren were as follows : 

(1) Samuel, bom March 28, 1770, died May 5, 1822. 

(2) Abigail, born March 3, 1772, died June 5, 1773. 

(3) Lois, born May 12, 1774, died May 30, 1774. 

(4) Abigail, born Feb. 3, 1776, died Jan. 1, 1808. 

(5) Lois, born Oct. 17, 1779, died Jan. 20, 1804. 

(6) Enoch, born Aug. 13, 1782, died AprH 25, 1783. 

(7) David, born September 29, 1787. 

(8) Rebekah, born October 17, 1790. 

The second son of Rev. George Shove, bearing the 
name of Setli^ was educated at Cambridge, where he was 
graduated in 1687. Mr. Baylies, having stated that he 



GEORGE SHOVE. 175 



was the minister of Danbury, Ct., a letter Avas forwarded 
Rev. Mr. Coe, the present pastor of the Congregational 
Church, which elicited the following reply : 

"There is residing here a Deacon Ambler of .the Bap- 
tist church, whose mother was a descendant of the Shove 
family ; but no record goes farther back than Rev. Seth 
Shove, her uncle. It is the opinion of Deacon Ambler, 
confirmed by tradition, that Rev. Seth Shove was a native 
of Danbury, and though the first minister w^as not a lib- 
erally educated man. This would seem to argue that he 
could not have been the son of the Taunton minister." 
A second letter was immediately directed to the pastor of 
Danbury, containing facts, in view of which, he thus 
writes : " There is no doubt that Seth Shove, (the first 
minister of Danbury,) was a graduate of Cambridge and 
a son of George Shove, (the third minister of Taunton.) 
This you have proved clearly. I mentioned the case to 
Rev. Mr. Stone, the former minister, and he said, he re- 
collected once seeing Seth Shove's name in an old cata- 
logue, and it was his impression, that the first minister in 
Danbury was a liberally educated man." 

A very clear inference from this correspondence is, that 
we can place but little reliance upon mere tradition. In 
this case surely it made two most egregious mistakes, 
since the first minister of Danbury was doubtless, (tradi- 
tion to the contrary not^vithstanding,) both a native of 
Taunton, and a liberally educated man. 

These facts being established, the following statement 
found in Robbins' century sermon, is not without interest : 
" The first minister in this town (Danbury) was the Rev. 
Seth Shove, a very pious and worthy man, who was very 
successful in his exertions for the promotion of peace, vir- 



17(3 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 

tue and true religion ; so that the general peace and union 
in his time, are proverbial at this day. He was ordained 
in the year 1696, and died October 3, 1735, aged 68."* 
A large number of the descendants of the third Taun- 
ton minister are highly respectable members of the de- 
nomination of Friends, some of whom residing in Berkley, 
on a part of the estate which their revered ancestor own- 
ed, have taken a becoming interest in assisting to prepare 
this brief memorial of one, who has left not even his sig- 
nature to reward their most diligent search. 

^ Barber's Conn. Hist. Coll. p. 367. 



SAMUEL DANFORTH. 177 



CHAPTER V. 

REV. SAMUEL DANFORTH, THE FOURTH MINISTER OF 

TAUNTON. 

The paternal grandfather of the fourth minister o^ 
^^aunton, according to Cotton Mather, was Nicholas Dan- 
forth, who lived in Framingham, in the county of Suffolk, 
England, " and was a gentleman of such estate and repute 
in the world, that it cost him a considerable sum to escape 
the knighthood, which King Charles I. imposed on all of 
so much per annum ; and of such figure and esteem in the 
church, that he procured the famous lecture at Framing- 
ham, where he had a fine manor."* His wife, whose name 
was Symmes, died in 1629, and he came to New- 
England in 1634, but died at Cambridge in 1637. He 
left three sons, viz: Tliomas Danforth, prominent in the 
early history of the Massachusetts Colony, having been 
Judge of the Superior Court, Deputy Governor, and for 
a time President of the Province of Maine. He died at 
Cambridge, November 5, 1699, aged seventy-seven. An- 
other son bore the name of Jonathan, settled at Billerica, 
Middlesex, where he died September 7, 1712, aged eighty- 
four. The remaining son was named Samuel, born in 
England, September, 1626, being eight years old, when 
his father came to New-England. He graduated at Har- 

* Magnalia, Book 4, cli. 3. 



178 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 



vard College in 1643, a member of the second class which 
left that ancient Institution, of which he was afterwards a 
Tutor and Fellow.* He was ordained at Roxburj, as col- 
league with the celebrated John EUiot, September 24, 
1650. He was a distinguished mathematical scholar, the 
author of a series of almanacks, and an astronomical de- 
scription of the comet which appeared in 1664. ''His 
sermons," accordmg to Mather, " were elaborate and sub- 
stantial. Though a very judicious preacher, yet he was 
therewithal so aifectionate, that he rarely, if ever, ended 
a sermon without weeping. "f He published seveml dis- 
courses — one of which was entitled, "the cry of Sodom 

* There were four members of the class, viz : 

Johannes Allin. 

Samuel Danforth, Mr., Socius. 

Johannes Jones, Mr. 

Samuel Mather, Mr., Socius. 

Samuel INIather was sou of Richard, brother of Increase, and uncle of 
Cotton Mather. Mather and Danforth were the fii'st FelloAvs of the 
University. 

t His manner of conducting the sanctuary services is thus described 
by Mather, more in detail : 

" On the Lord's days in the forenoons, he expounded the books of tlie 
Old Testament ; in tlie afternoons, he discoursed on the body of divini- 
ty, and many occasional suVjjects, and some chapters in the epistle to 
the Romans, until the year 1661 ; and then he began to handle the har- 
mony of the four Evangelists, proceeding therein to those words of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, in Luke 14:14. ' Thou shalt be recompensed at the 
resurrection of the just.' on which having preached his last sermon, it 
proved indeed his last. He also preached a monthly lecture, and on 
many private occasions, at meetings of christians, in the families of the 
faithful. But instead of ever venturing upon any extemporaneous per- 
formances, it was his manner to Avrite his sermons twice over ; and it 
was in a fair, long hand he wrote them. His utterance was free, clear 
and giving much in a little time ; his memory very tenacious, and never 
known to fail liim, though he allowed it no assistances." It would seem 
that he did not confine his labors to the pulpit or the occasional lecture. 
" Unto all the other commendable things observed in the discharge of 
his ministry, he added that of a most pastoral watchfulness over his 
flock. Hence he not only visited the sick, as a messenger from Heaven 
unto them, one among a thousand, but when he met persons, recovered 
from sickness, he would at this rate accost them ; ' Well, you have been 
in God's scliool, but what have you learnt ? What good have you got V 
And notable were the elFects of these his applications.'' 



SAMUEL DAXFORTII. 179 



enquired into, or a testimony against the sin of unclean- 
ness" — another Avas an Election Sermon, preached in 
1670, being called "a recognition of New-England's er- 
rand into the wilderness."* He died November 19, 
1674, aged forty-eight. His colleague, Elliot, remarking 
on his death, sa3^s: "He made the most glorious end 
that I ever saw." Mr. Weld wrote a poem on his death. f 
He left twelve children, one of whom, John, was the min- 
ister of Dorchester, who died in 1730.$ iVnother was 
Samuel, the fourth minister of Taunton. § 

* In this discourse he reminds his hearers of their object in founding 
New-England in the following terms : " You have solemnly expressed, 
before God, angels, and' men, that the cause of your leaving your coun- 
try, kindred and fathers' houses, and transporting yourselves with your 
wives, little ones and substance, over the vast ocean, into this waste and 
howling wilderness, was your liberty to walk in the faith of the Gospel, 
with all good conscience, according to the order of the Gospel, and jouy 
enjoyment of the pure worship of God, according to His institution, 
without human mixtures and impositions." 

t It " had a clause," writes Mather, " to this purpose : 

" Mighty in Scripture, searching out the sense. 
All the hard things of it unfolding thence : 
He lived each truth ; his Mth, love, tenderness, 
None can to th' life, as did his life express : 
Our minds with Gospel his rich lectures fed; 
Luke, and his life, at once are finished : 
Our new built Church now suffers too by this. 
Larger its windows, but its lights are less." 
Mr. Danforth was given to making verses. Several specimens of his 
poetry are found in his almanacs. They are more musical than the 
verses of some of his contemporaries. The character and destiny of 
New-England are celebrated in a Poem of some hundred lines in an al- 
manac for 1G48, which is no mean performance. 

I John, the minister of Dorcliester, had a son Samuel, who was Judge 
of Probate in Cambridge, and a member of the Massachusetts Council. 
He was ancestor of the Doctors Danforth of Boston. (Mss. Letter of 
AYalter R. Danforth, Esq., of Providence.) 

§ The first born was named Samuel, but died in 16.53. The next 
three died in 1659, of a malady called bladders in the windpipe. The 
eldest of these, not quite six years old, was so gracious and intelligent 
in her expressions, and behavior, both living and dying, and had such 
evident faith in Christ, that it furnished what the author of the Magna- 
lia calls "a luculent commentary en that marvellous prophecy, that the 
child should dye an hundred years old." The minutes of what the sor- 
rowing father spake at the funeral of the last child laid in the grave are 



180 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



The Taunton minister was not onlj of clerical descent 
on his father's, but also on his mother's, side. His mother 
was the daughter of Rev. John Wilson, pastor of the first 
church in Boston, and grand-daughter of Dr. William Wil- 
son, Prebendary of Rochester, England, who was also 
grand-nejDhew to Dr. Edmmid Grindal, archbishop of Can- 
terbury. 

Samuel, the son of such an honored ancestry, was born 
in Roxbury, December 18, 1666, and was graduated at 
Harvard College in 1683. He married a daughter of the 
Rev. James Allen, who previous to his emigration to New^- 
England, was a Fellow of New-College, Oxford, and on 
being silenced by the act of miiformity in 1662, came to 
America, where he " was ordained teacher of the first 
church in Boston, December 9, 1668, colleague with John 
Davenport, who was at the same time ordained pastor." 
He died September 22, 1710, aged seventy-eight, leaving 
behind him a reputation worthy of an associate with Dav- 
enport. 

Mr. Danforth was called to the work of the ministry in 

preserved, of which this is the beginning: "My friends, If any that see 
my grief, should say unto me, as the Danites unto Micah, what aileth 
thee ? I thank God, I cannot answer as he did. They have taken away 
my gods. My heart was indeed set upon my children, but they were 
none of my gods, none of my portion ; My portion is whole and un- 
touch'd iinto this day." In concluding, he says : " My heart truly would 
be consumed, and would even dye within me, but that the good Avill of 
him that dwelt in the burning bush, and His good Avord and promise 
are my trust and my stay." 

John, the fifth child, born November 8, 1660, graduated at Harvard, 
in 1677, and was afterward the minister of Dorchester, Samuel, the 
second of the name, was the minister of Taunton, and the subject of 
this sketch. Their sister, Mary, was the second wife of Hon. Edward 
Bromfield, whom she married June 4, 1683, living with her husband 
fifty-one years. Edwai'd Bromfield, tlieir son, born November, 169.5, was 
an eminent merchant in Boston, and father of Edward Bromfield, grad- 
uated at Harvard in 1742. 

A second sister died October 26, 1676. 

(Vide Farmers notice of graduates of Harvard in American Quar- 
terlv Beo-ister for 1 8-35.) 



SAMUEL DANFORTH. 



181 



Taunton, with a large share of ministerial influence to pre- 
cede, and prepare the way for him. He was much sought 
after, " The town," remarks Mr. Baylies, " was extreme- 
ly anxious to obtain I\Ir. Danforth."* The following is 
found in the "Proprietors' Records," Book No. 4, page 

29. 

"Feb. 27th, 1687. It is voted that Captain Bartholo- 
mew Tipping! shall have ten acres of land adjoinmg to 
his own land, formerly laid out to him, at a place called 
Rumford, for his labor and charge to fetch up to our town 
Mr. Danforth, provided it be not prejudiciall to any high- 
way or former grant. "J 

Captain Tipping sold Mr. Danforth his house and lot, 
and the following persons agreed to give him certain par- 
cels of land, "in part paj^ therefor," namely: 





Acros, 




Acres). 


James Walker, 


10 


John Smith, Jr., 


5 


Peter AYalker, 


10 


Samuel Hollo way, 


2 


John Hail, 


5 


John Dean, 


5 


Thomas Lincoln, Sen., 


5 


John Macomber, Jr., 


5 


John Richmond, 


5, 


►William Paull, 


5 


William Withrell, 


5 


Robert Crossman, Jr., 


3 


James Tisdill, 


5 


Joseph Leonard, 


4 


Edward Bobit, 


5 


Mary Street, 


6 


Elkanah Bobit, 


9 


Joseph Willis, 


5 


Peter Pitts, Senior, 


5 


John Hathaway, Sen., 


10 


Jonathan Briggs, 


4 


John Briant, 


10 


Samuel Hall, 


4 







* Mem. Plym. Col. 4th p., p. 80. 

t Tipping 'was '"brother-in-law" of Joseph, eldest son of Walter 
Deane. "Bristol Reg. Deeds i., 60. 

X The same action of the tov/n is refen-ed to by IVIi'. Baylies, ("Plym. 
Mem. Part 4, p. 80,) under the date of '' Feb. 27, 1688," which does not 
agree with the Records of the Proprietors. The vote was passed ac- 
cording to their Records, one year earlier. 

16 



182 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

The above named persons may be supposed therefore to 
have been particuhirly desh-ous to secure the services of 
so eminent a minister as Samuel Danforth. Mr. Bayhes 
assigns the time of ordination to 1687. It doubtless oc- 
curred in that year, as Captain Tipping had already 
brought Mr. Danforth to town before the 27th of Februa- 
ry. It is a mortifying fact, that in the present state of 
our records, "we are unable to speak -with any certainty 
concerning the services of ordination. If his father, the 
mmister of Roxbury, had been living, we could easily de- 
cide who i^reached the sermon. But he died before Sam- 
uel entered college. His older brother, John, doubtless 
was present, and may have given the Right Hand of Fel- 
lowship. His father-in-law, Rev. Mr. Allen of Boston, may 
have preached the sermon. Rev. Increase Mather, then 
President of Harvard College, may have given the charge, 
or offered the ordaining prayer, and Cotton Mather, a suc- 
cessor of his father in the ministry of Boston, may have 
addressed the people. Mr. Angier, the successor of Mr. 
Newman at Rehoboth, Mr.^ Keith of Bridge water, and 
John Cotton, Jr., of Plymouth, doubtless were present, 
and took part in the proceedings. 

The popularity of ^Ir. Danforth in the beginning of his 
ministry continued without abatement to its close. Noth- 
ing occurred to disturb the harmony of the relation form- 
ed. ''He w^as peculiarly fortunate," remarks some one 
commenting on his ministry, " in retaining the attachment 
of his people. They were eager to settle him, and their 
interest in him endured unto the end." "His various 
qualifications,"* remarks ^Ir. Baylies, "rendered him ex- 
tremely useful in town, and while he instructed his people 

=* Note A. ~~~ 



SAMUEL DANFORTII. 188 

in all things touching their spiritual welfare, they found 
his advice and aid no less useful in their temporal con- 
cerns. He acquired over them an unbounded influence, 
which he exercised for the general good, and although 
some of them might dislike advice, which too often came 
in the shape of a command, yet as nothing was meant but 
their good, they acquiesced, and were grateful." 

Mr. Allen in a brief biographical notice of the Taunton 
minister, pronounces him " one of the most learned and 
eminent divines of his day." * This well agrees with the 
representation of him by contemporaries, t He took a 
great interest in the Aborigines $ of this country — acquir- 
ed their language, and prepared' an Indian Dictionary, 
which VN'as once in possession of the Llassachusetts Histor- 
ical Society, but which, I am sorry to leam from the Li- 
brarian, has been mislaid or lost. § 

^ Vide also Top. Des. of Ilaynliam, by Dr. Fobes, Mass. Hist. Coll. 

tit is a remark of Mr. Baylies ; " all Iiis contemporaries represent Mr. 
Danforth as a person of great learning, and he certainly maintained a 
high reputation through life." 

:|: The llcv. I\Ii-. Grindal Rawson, Pastor of the churcli in Mendon, 
and the Rev. IMr. Samuel Danforth, of Taunton, spent from May 30th 
to June 24, 1693, in visiting the several plantations of Indians, within 
the Province of Massachusetts. They were appointed by the " Hon. 
Commissioners for the Propagation of tlie Gospel among the Indians, 
in the American plantations in New-England and parts adjacent." 
Their Report (which is to be found entire in the Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. 
1st Scries vol. 10, pp. 129-134) gives a detailed account of the coudirion 
of the Indians at Little Compton, Dartmouth, Acushnet, Major Win- 
throp's Island, Chilniark, Tisbury, Gayhead, Edgartown, Munnepoag, 
Cliaubaqueduck, Nautuckquet, Sandv/ich, Mashpah, Eastham, Harwich, 
Eastharbor, Billinggate, Plymouth, Duxbury, Asawampsit, Quittaub, 
Nukkehkummccs, Natick, Ha})sinannsco which is now Grafton. They 
must have been far from idle to make such a circuit in less than a montli. 
Their record concerning Natick I transcribe : " We find a small church 
of seven men and three women : tlieir Pastor Daniel Tokkohwompait 
{ordained by the reverend and holy man of God, John Eliot deceased) 
who is a person of great knowledge.' Here are fifty-nine men, and fifty-one 
v>'omcn, and seventy children under sixteen.'' 

^ This was a Ms. copy, and had proba'.)ly been loaned out with ref- 
erence to its being printed. The experience of the Society in losing- 
valuable memori;ils of our fathers has led to tlie adoption of such strin- 



184 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

The only productions of Mr. Daniorth which I have 
seen, are three letters* written from Taunton in 1705, and 
published bj Thomas Prince in his Christian History in 
1743 ; a manuscript letter f sent to lie v. Cotton Mather 
in 1720 ; a Religious Lecture t in manuscript, delivered 
in Taunton, Dec, 4, 1707 ; an Essay concerning the 
singing of psalms, published in 1723, § and an Election 
Sermon preached and printed in 1714. || He delivered 
also an address, occasioned bv the decease of Hon. Thomas 
Leonard, a distinguished parishioner, which was committed 
to the press in 1713, but after diligent inquiry I have been 
unable to find it. 

The estate nf Mr. Danforth embraced the present site 
of the Dean Cotton Mill, on Broadway, nearly opposite 
the gaol, which water privilegQ^ I have understood from 
Job Godfrey, Esq., Proprietors' Clerk, was improved by 
the minister for a Saw and Grist I\Iill. Lest any should 
charge the learned divine with pursuing an vmclerical 
calling, it should be added, that the mill was in charge 
of one of his sons. 

Walter Raleigh Danforth, Esq., of Providence, a direct 
descendant of the Taunton minister has furnished me with 
the foUowms; record of the children of " Rev. Samuel 
Danforth of Taunton, and Hannah, his wife," which was 
found on " a detached leaf of an old printed volume " in 
his father's possession, '' nearly illegible." 

" 1689, July 29, about 12 at night Ehzabeth Danforth 

born. 

gent regulations, as have subjected the compiler of this work to not a 
little inconvenience, but of vi"liich, in the circurasta,nces of the case, he 
cannot find it in his heart to complain. 

* Note B. t Note C. J Note D. § Note E. 

II The reprint of this sermon in the present volume i.^ from a faithful 
copy of the original found in the Library of the Mass. Hist. Society. 



SAMUEL DANFORTII. 185 



1691, June 1,* Twins born, Mary between 11 and 12 
at noon ; Samuel a little after 12 at noon. June 3, the 
son djecl, and was buried June 6. June 7, Mary baptised, 
and dyed June 20tli after 9 before noon, buried June 21. 

1692, 'Nov. 11, between 9 and 10 post meridiem, James 
born, and baptised Nov. 13. 

1694, Nov. 18, between 9 and 10, post meridiem, Sarah 
born and baptised 25th of Nov. 

1696-7 t Jan. 4, Monday, about 5, post meridiem, Sam- 
uel born and baptised Jan. 10th. 

1698, Dec. 5, Monday morn, between 5 and 6, Mary 
born and baptised the 11th da}^. 

1700, Dec. 2, Monday night, after midnight, Hannah 
born, and baptised the next Sabbath. 

1703, May 22, Saturday, about 4 post meridiem, Thom- 
as born, and baptised the day following. 

1704-5, Feb. 21, a little before midnight John born, 
baptised Feb. 25, dyed Aug. 15, 1706. 

1707, Tuesday, Sept. 2d, between 9 and 10 at night, 
Martha born, and baptised and dyed Nov. 3d, 1708. 

1709, Tuesday, Aug. 16, about 12 at night Bethiaborn 
and baptised. 

The above purports to be copied '' thus far," by Jno. 
Wilbur, Town Clerk, May 5, 1710. On the other side of 
the detached leaf is as foilovrs : 



* Tlie record concernino: the " twins " is confirmed by the following 
found on the '' Proprietors' Records :" 

" Samuel Danforth, his twins ; the daughter called Mary. The son 
lived not to he haptized. Both dyed. They were both born the first 
day of June, 1691." 

t The double dating so common in records prior to 1752 needs explana- 
tion. The year in New-England as well as Old England, formerly be- 
gan on the 25th day of March. Parliament passed an act in 1752, that 
the year should commence with Jan. 1, adopting tlie New Style intro- 
duced by Pope Gregory in 1582. Many of tlic early records make dates 
between Jan. 1, and March 25, partake of both years. 

16 * 



186 THE MINISTRY OF TAUxXTON. 

" 1711, Julj 8. The evening after ye Sabbath, about 
one hour before daj Rachel born. 

1714, May 31, Monday, Nathaniel born one hour before 
noon." 

Then follo^vs the record of their father's death : " Nov- 
ember 14, 1727, Died ye Rev'd Mr. Samuel Danforth, in 
ye sixty-first year of his age." 

In Harris' Chronological and Topographical account of 
Dorchester, (1st Ser. Mass. Hist. Coll. vol. 9, p. 197) 
under the same date, it is recorded : " Rev. Samuel Dan- 
forth of Taunton deceased to the publick loss ; " which 
purports to have been taken from the church records.* 

He lived, died and was buried among the people of his 
" first love." 

It was a modest stone, covered with the moss of more 
than a century, which till recently marked the quiet rest- 
ing place of all that was mortal of the fourth Taunton 
minister. It bore the follovring inscription : 
*' Here lyes buried ye 
Body of 3^e Rev'd 
Mr. Samuel Daxfortii, 
who departed this 
Life Nov. 14, 1727." 

This was superseded by a more modem and costher 
tablet in 1835, of which the folloTving notice appeared 
some years since in one of the Providence papers ; 

^' I was lately attracted to an extensive enclosure in the 
town of Taunton, Mass., consecrated as a repository for 
the dead, and amongst the numerous gravestones, which 
recorded the names, the ages, and the characters of those 
who had returned again to the earth, beheld a new monu- 
* Note F. 



SAMUEL DANFORTH. 187 

ment erected to the memory of an eminent and learned 
divine, "vvho had been dead more than a century, and cop- 
ied from it the foUo^ving inscription : 

" Sacred 
To the memory of the 
Eey. Samuel Danforth, 
who was born in Roxbury, Dec. 18, 1666 ; 
graduated at Harvard College in 1683 ; was 
ordained and settled, as the fourth min- 
ister in Taunton, and continued in 
the ministry 44 years, to the 
time of his death, which 
was on Nov. 14, 1727. 
He was distinguished for his piety and learning, for his 
zeal and persuasive eloquence in the pulpit ; and beloved 
for the amiable qualities of his heart, and for the parental 
interest he took in the temporal and eternal welfare of the 
people under his charge. 

This stone is erected, May, 1835, by his only surviving 
grandson, Job Danforth, of Providence, R. I., now in the 
91st year of his age." 

The inscription was written by Walter R. Danforth, 
Esq., of Providence, son of Job Danforth, and a graduate 
of P)rown University in 1805. 

" The person thus commemorated," remarks Mr. Dan- 
forth, " was the first who was deposited ui that cemetery,* 
where hundreds now lie around his remains." 

* The cemetery on " the plain," bounded hy the old Boston turnpike. 
The land belonged to the estate of Rev. ^r. Danforth, who gave it to 
the town, as Horatio L. Danforth, Esq., informs me, for a burial place. 
There was one person deposited there previous to the minister, according 
to the following inscription : " In memory of Hannah, ye wife of Capt. 
James Leonard, who died Aug. ye 2d, 1725, in ye 60th year of her age." 
A more ancient burial place is at the Neck o' land, now rarely used. 



188 . THE MINISTRY 0¥ TAUNTON. 

Mr. Danforth "divided amongst his children a very 
large estate." This is stated on the authority of Mr. 
Baylies. But hovf large, or how accumulated, I am not 
able to affirm. His wife and ten children survived him. 

Concerning the widow, Hannah, the daughter of Rev. 
James Allen of the North Church, Boston, I learn the 
following facts, found in a " Clasp Pocket Book," original- 
ly belonging to James, the eldest son of the minister. 
His " mother Avas born in 1668, was married to Bev. Mr. 
Danforth in 1687, died Dec. 3d, 1761, in the 93d year 
of her age." 

James, the eldest son, married Sarah Deane, the 6th of 
Nov. 1720, and resided in Taunton. I find the record of 
the following children in the above named " Clasp Pocket 
Book." 

Sarah Danforth born Wednesday, ye 25th of Oct. 1721, 
baptized the 29th. It dyed ye 23d of Dec. 1721. 

Hannah Danforth born Monday ye 25th of Feb. 1723, 
baptized ye 3d of March. She died in'1762. 

James Danforth born Thursday, ye 16th of July, 1724, 
baptized ye 19th, died of the small pox in 1777. 
• Elizabeth Danforth born Saturday, ye 16th of July, 
1726, baptized ye 17th, died in 1819. 

Sarah and Silence Danforth, twin children, born ye 4th 
of July, 1729, baptized ye 6th. Sarah died in 1783. 
Silence died in 1814. 

The father of the above died Feb. 27, 1759. The 
mother died Dec. 5, 1782. 

James, the son of James, and grandson of the minister 
had children Asa, James and Polly. The last two died 
early. Asa, the eldest of the children of James the 2d, 
resided in Taunton, and had children as follows : Polly, 



SAMUEL DANFORTH. 189 



James, Hannah, Allen, Sally, George, John, Fannj, Eliz- 
abeth, Nicholas. Of these, five are living in 1852, and 
two, Polly and Sally, reside in Taunton. Allen married 
Lydia Seaver, and resides in Plymouth ; John has been 
tvv-ice married and lives in New-London, Ct. ; Elizabeth 
married a Thurber, and is in Plymouth. 

ScwiucI, the second son of the Tauiiton minister, resid- 
ed in Taunton — was a farmer and clothier. He served the 
tovrn several years as Treasurer. He married Bethia 
Grossman, daughter of Nathaniel, Nov. 2-1, 1730, and 
their children were as follows : Samuel, Nathaniel, John, 
Oliver, Job, Elkanah, Abigail, Bethia, Molly, Hannah, 
and a still-born son, twin to Abigail. 

The children of Samuel, who removed to Norton, were 
Thomas, Mrs. Copeland, Mrs. Newland, and 

.mucl. 

The children of John who removed to Atliol, vrere John, 
Joshua, Ptichmond, Abieser, Lewis, Polly, Rhoda, Sally 
and Lucinda. 

The children of Oliver were Mrs. Horton, Lydia, Bethia, 
Hannah, Oliver Cromwell, Nathaniel, William, Sally, 
Asenath, and Nancy. 

The children of Elkanah who removed to Bennington, 
Vt., were Betsey, Molly, Henry, Jonathan, James and 
Washington. 

The children of Job, who settled in Providence, were 
Samuel, Ozias, Job, William, Oliver, Horatio, one died 
unmarried, Catherine, and YfpJter Raleigh. (The last of 
whom preserved the above record.) 

Thomas^ the third son of the Taunton minister, had 
cliildren, Thomas, Elijah, and John. It is miderstood that 
he settled in New^ton, Mass. 



190 THE MmiSTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

Elizaheth, the eldest daughter, married Mr. John Wal- 
lej of Boston, and died before her father. 

Sarah ^ the second daughter married Mr. William Downs, 
of Boston. 

Mary^ the third daughter, married Mr. Jacob Barney 
of Taunton. 

Samiali^ BetJda^ Itacliel and Nathaniel vrere unmarried 
at the death of their father.* 
* Note G. ' 



^ 



A 

XHORTATION 



Vo use Utmost Endeavours to obtain 
a Visit of the 

FOR THE 
Preservation of Hcligioit^ and 
the CHURCH, upon Earth. 



In a SERMON Preached before His Excellency 
the GOVERNOUR, the Honourable COUNCIL 
and Representatives of the Pro\dnce of the Mas- 
sachusetts-Bai/ in JV. E. on 3Iay 26. 1714, being 
the Anniversary Day of the ELECTION of 
COUNCELLORS of\he said Province. 



By SAMUEL DANFORTH, 

Pastor of the Church in Tanton. 



Isaiah Ixiii. 15. Look doivnfrom Heaven^ and heJiold 
from the Hahitatmi of thy Holiness^ c^ of thy Glory. 



BOSTON: Printed by B. Green : Sold by 
Samuel Gerrish, at his shop on the North side 
of the Town-House, i 7 1 4 . 






Published by Order of His Ex- 
cellency the'GOVEENOUR & 
COUNCIL- 



Isaac Addington^ Seer. 



BOSTON, June 
Ath. i7i4. 






All EXHOETATION to All 

To use Utmost Endeavours 

T 

Obtain a Visit of the iBoti Of WO^t^. 



PSALM LXXX. i4. 

Return, ive beseech Thee, God of Hosts : look doivn 
from Heaven, and behold, and Visit this Vine. 



*^^ HE State of the Church of Israel, when this 
^ Psahn was Penned, was very Calamitous (as 
l|V^ % appears from the matter of the Psalm it self) 
^ i»fe^ ^S both with respect unto Sins and Judmients. 
And the whole Psalm is a Prayer in the Name and Behalf 
of the Church, unto God for Deliverance. In the verse 
before us, we may consider, 

1. THE Description of the Church Prayed for, by that 
Metaphor of a Vine. To Explain which we may observe, 
(1.) THAT Jesus Christ Himself as Mediator, God- 
Man, and as Head of the Church, is the True Vme, Joh. 
15, 1. Christ compares Himself to a Vine acco'rding to 
His usual Custom of taking Similitudes from things Com- 
mon 
17 





194 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

moil and Obvious ; such were Vines in Judea, Deut. 8, 8. 
Planted hy the sides of their Houses, Psal. 128. 3. Prob- 
ably of that House where Christ was when he spake those 
words. Christ is the Principal Vine, for whose sake the 
Church of Israel was compared to a Vine or Vineyard, 
because out of that Church the Messiah was to come who 
is the true Vine. Christ is that Vine, as God-Man, Me- 
diator, to whom the Father hath given this Prerogative to 
have Life in Himself, Joh. 5, 26. 

AND to be a quickning Spirit unto those implanted into 
Him, and who are given to Him to be His Members, I Cor. 
15, 45. Christ is therefore likened to that which is the 
chief part of a Vine, Namely the Root and Stock, where- 
as His Members are but like the Branches. Christ as He 
is Man is of the same Nature with the Branches, as He is 
God He supplies the Branches with Spiritual Life and 
Grace. The Humane Nature of Christ is as the Conduct 
through which the Gifts of the Holy Spirit flow unto His 
People. As Mediator He both Merited Grace for Men 
and Infuses Grace into jNIen ; and more truly and perfectly 
nourishes Believers unto Eternal Life, than a Vine doth 
its Branches ; as an Head of influence unto them. Christ 
is then the true and proper Vine, others but secondarily so ; 
and depending on Christ, and deriving all their Spiritual 
Life from Him ; and obtaining all they have, for His sake : 
And that they are Vines in any sense is because God the 
Father to Glorify His Son, hath given them to Him in an 
Everlasting Covenant, to be brought unto Union and Com- 
munion with Him. 

^lANY Phrases in this Psalm may be referred to Christ ; 
He is Gods Josoph, verse i, to v/hom belongs the Right of 
Primogeniture ; to be the First born of every Creature. 

He 



DAXFOllTll'S SERMON IN 1714. 195 



He is the INIan of Gods Right Hand, v. 17. Gods Benja- 
min, who is Exalted to sit at Gods Right Hand, and if this 
glorious Benjamin were not there, we should not be admit- 
ted to see Gods face. He it is whom God the Father hath 
made Strong for Himself v. 15, 18. Who did stand and 
feed in the Strength of the Lord, and in the Majesty of 
the Name of the Lord his God, Micah 5, 1. And as 
Christ intended to make His Church conformable to Him- 
self ; so in some respects, He would be like to His Church ; 
therefore He vrould be the Branch, the Vine, the Fruit of 
the Earth, and would be brought out of Egypt, v. 8, Math. 
2, 15. So that Gods dispensations to His Church were 
Typical of the Messiah in many things : Therefore also the 
same Title of a Vine, comprehends both Christ and His 
Church ; as the Name of Christ is also given to His Mys- 
tical Body the Church, i Cor. 12, 12. 

NOW God the Father hath Engaged Himself to be the 
Husbandman, when Christ condescends to be the Vine ; 
the Father will and doth always manifest His gracious 
Presence with Christ as Head of the Church, to Assist 
and Help Him and Strengthen Him : and out of Respect 
and Love to the Lord Jesus Christ it is that the Father 
takes any Notice in a way of Pity, Compassion and Grace, 
of any Men or Societies of Men upon Earth. 

(2.) THE Invisible Church of the Elect are likened to 
a Vine or Vineyard : They are the Branches ingrafted 
into Christ. It is an intellectual Mystical Vineyard ; The 
Mystical Paradise of God, partly in Heaven, and partly on 
Earth. As God Planted an Earthly Paradise in the Gar- 
den of Eden, which did excel all the rest of the Earth ; so 

since 



196 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

since the Ruin of Mankind by Adam's Apostacj, God will 
have a Remnant among fallen Mankind in every Age and 
Generation, to be His Vineyard, Garden, Orchard, (or 
Eden, Eccl. 2. 5.) depending on and United unto Christ, 
the Second Adam : For God in His Infinite Wisdom so 
ordered the things of the first Creation, that they might be 
Natural Types of what He would do in the New Creation 
of all things by Christ. 

THE Church is Gods Vineyard, which His Own Right 
Hand hath Planted, v. 8, 15. It is a Garden inclosed. 
Cant. 4, 12. • Planted and Formed for Himself, to shew 
forth His Praise, Isai. 43. 21. Set apart for His Own 
peculiar Use, Service and Delight ; The Church owns no 
other Master but Christ, reserves all her fruit for Him, 
and keeps faithful to Him. Those Planted into this Vine- 
yard though by Nature they are Wild Plants, and of the 
Wild Olive, yet are made Noble Vines and a Right Seed, 
by Efiectual Calling and their Implantation into Christ. 
The Creating Power of Gods Right Hand is put forth in 
infusing Grace into them : Mans Nature brings not forth 
the fruits of the Spirit without the Skill and Husbandry 
of Him that made it : We are therefore called Gods Hus- 
bandry I Cor. 3, 9. The Seed of the Fruits of Righte- 
ousness must be Sown in us by Gods Spirit, and Grow in 
us by His Blessing ; so that as Israel were not the Natives 
of Canaan, but God did fetch His Vine from afar off, even 
from Egypt ; So Grace is not the Natural Growth of our 
Corrupt Hearts ; but is Transplanted into us from a fur- 
ther Place, even from Heaven. And although the first 
Planting of Virtue and Piety in Men be not without some 
bitterness, (our Inoculation Christ is not without Incision ;) 
Yet the Growth of it is Pleasant and the fruit Sweet, and 

Wholesome 



DANEORTll'S SERMON iN 1714. 197 



Wholesome, even as the fruit of the Vine, rcfreshmg the 
Heart of God and Man. Variety cf precious Graces and 
Vertues are implanted in them which are all Useful and 
make them fruitful in Good Works : And as the fruit of 
the Vine was used in Sacrifices, so the Good Fruits of 
Believers are a sweet Smelling Sacrifice unto God. They 
are made sensible that they are Weak and Worthless 
Creatures in and of themselves, (as a Vine is not Timber 
fit for Service, Ezek. 15. 1, 2. Fit for nothing but to be 
cast into the Fire ; unless it bear fruit) yet being Vines 
Planted into Christ Himself, the fattest Soil ; and under- 
propped by the Grace and Spirit of Christ Strengthning 
and Supporting of tJiem ; and the Excrescencies of Cor- 
ruption being continually lopped off by their Careful Vine- 
dresser, Joh. 15. 2. And being Watred every Moment 
from Heaven, by the fresh Influences of the Spirit, Isai. 
27. 2, 3. They become Plants of Renown, amongst whom 
Christ Loves to Walk : and He delights Himself with the 
Observation of the Flourishing of this His Vineyard, 
Cant. 6. 11. 

THIS Church of the Elect is the true Israel of God, 
verse i. His Pecuhar People on Earth, His Joseph, Gods 
First born among the Children of Men to whom all Church- 
Privileges belong as their Birth-right for their Saving 
Good : They are Christs Flock, v. i. Gods Benjamin ; And 
like Benjamin full of Changes, sometimes a Benoni a Son 
of Sorrow, and afterwards of Joy ; The Son of Gods 
Right Hand, whom He Loves as dearly as a Man doth his 
Right Hand, or the Apple of his Eye, whom God is al- 
ways ready to Lead and Govern by His Right Hand ; and 
to whom He Swears by His Right Hand that He will be 
17 "^ their 



198 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 

their Preserver, Isai. 02, 8. Israel are often called Col- 
lective! j Gods Son, as Hos. ii. 1. And His First born, as 
if the whole Multitude of them were One Person, Exod. 
4. 22, 23. 

As here they are compared to One Yine. 

(3.) THE Visible Church of God on Earth is Gods 
Yine. And Gods Transactions with the Church Yisible 
do outwardly resemble the Spiritual and Invisible dealings 
of God with the Church of the Elect : and thereunto are 
afforded Outward Means and Privileges lor the Saving 
Good of Gods Elect among them. 

THIS Yisible Church was built upon Christ the 
Messiah ; that first Promise in Gen. 3. 15. Being the Foun- 
dation of the Church and of the whole AVorship of God 
therein. Christ hath seen His Seed in all Ages past, and 
shall still see His Seed in all Ages to come. The gTeat 
Work of God in all Ages, is to be Planting Yineyards or 
Churches, where there are none ; and to Preserve those 
Churches which He hath already on Earth, and to restore 
them where they are under decays. Tho' Christs Church 
on Earth be a Weak and Feeble People, yet He makes 
them Strong for Himself, defending them against the Gates 
of Hell, Keeping an Hedge of Protection about them, 
and guarding them by Armies of Angels, and so caring 
for them that the whole World may discern that His spec- 
ial Care and gracious Providence is concerned for their 
Good, more than for the rest of Mankind. 

AND the Dispensations of God towards Israel in Trans- 
planting them out of Egypt into Canaan, and Erecting a 

Church 



BANFORTU'S SERMON IN 1714. 199 

Churcli State and Ordinances among them (which the for- 
mer part of the Psalm doth mention) arc in some kind of 
Simihtude acted over again in New-Testament times in all 
Ages of the Church ; and will still be again acted over 
while the World continues. 

(4.) Particular Churches are the Ministerial Vineyards 
of Christ, for the Exercise of Divine Worship, Ordinances 
and Discipline, like so many particular Inclosures under 
the Inspection of Particular Keepers, which make up and 
constitute the Visible Catholick Garden of the Church. 
And each particular Professor of Kehgion, (whether Somid 
or Unsound) is a Branch in Christ Visibly, Joh. 15. And 
each Christian hath a Vineyard (namely his own Soul) to 
keep and look after, Cant, i. G. 

2. IN our Text is supposed. That the present State of 
Gods Vineyard then in the World, was very Distressed 
and Calamitous. They were fed with the Bread and 
Drink of Tears, and that in great Measure, verse 5. Af- 
flictions and Sorrows were their constant Dyet, so that they 
could not refrain from mixing Tears with their Food : Tho' 
they had scarcity of Bread ; yet had Trientals, treble 
Measures of Tears. ':;""'r'^ Notes a Cup four times as big 
as the usual Cups they drink in ; so that they drank Tears 
in Flagons rather than in Cups. 

THEY w"ere made a Strife to their Neighbours, verse G. 
Their Enemies Strove among themselves which should 
make a spoil and a prey of them, and those who once were 
Neighbourly and Kmd to them, now took occasion to quar- 
rel with them, and they had now almost as man}^ Enemies 
as they had Neighbours. Israel out of carnal Policy, 

joyned 



200 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

joyned with their Neighbours in false Worship, and refus- 
ing to be Reformed bj the Repeated Warnings sent them 
from God bj His Prophets ; therefore (because their Ways 
pleased not the Lord) God made their Friends turn to be 
their Enemies, Deut. 28. 47, 48, &c. 

AGAIK, Their Enemies Laughed among themselves, 
verse 6. ]\Iade sport of, and delighted themselves in the 
Calamities of Israel : So the People of the Earth make 
Merry -when the Two Witnesses arc slain, Rev. 11. 10. 
Sampson Avas called for to make Sport for the Philistines, 
Judg. 16. 25. Israel vrere justly made a Derision and 
Hissing among the Nations after they forsook God, Psal. 
44. 13. 14 & 79. 4. 

AGAIN, The Hedge of Divine Protection was removed, 
and all that passed by took liberty to Pluck at them, v. 12. 
This came to pass as an Accomplishment of the Divine 
Comminations against them, Deut. 31. 17. Isai. 5. 5. Im- 
pure and Savage Nations, fierce and furious Enemies like 
wild Boars and Beasts, Endeavoured to root up this Vine, 
and Exterpate the true Religion. 

THUS Gods Vine was cast as 'twere into the Fire, v. 16. 
Cut down, and become like the -burning Bush which Moses 
saw all in a flame, likely to Perish utterly, without a Mir- 
acle of Mercy prevented its Ruin, and Total overthrow, 
V. 16. They Perish at the Rebuke of thy Countenance. 
And God seemed to be angry with the very Prayers of 
His People, v. 4. Tho' they sought deliverance with strong 
Cryes and Tears, yet obtained it not : but God in anger 
delivered them into the Hands of their Enemies, Psal. 39. 
11. One Frown of Gods Face was (like the 

O -1 • TTT' T 1 1 1 • -1 -C-r iN /v. *^l»i/»S^ 20. 

bcorchmg VVmd Ave had this last lear ) suffi- 
cient to blast, AYither and dry up the tender ^'^^' 

Plants 



DANFORTIl'S SERMON IN 1714. 201 

Plants of His Yinej/ard. Tlicj hoped that their Prayers 
would have ascended like Licence and been as a Sweet- 
Srnelling Savour unto God : But the Smoke of Gods anger 
against them discovered that fair Flattering Words would 
not Pacify a Provoked God. 

3. IN our Text is set forth the Resolution of the true 
Israehtes, the Remnant of Sincere Believers yet left 
in this Vineyard of the Church, Not to give over Crying 
to God for Relief and Help ; but to persist in Penitential 
Prayers to Him even to the last Gasp ; resolving to go 
no where else for Help ; and being Satisfied and fully 
Convinced that One Look, One Smile, One Visit from 
Heaven would suffice to Recover the Vine from its Apos- 
tacies and Calamities. 

THE DOCTRINE therefore, under which the Text 
may be Explained is this. 

THAT Sincere Believers tuill Persevere in this Apjjli- 
cation to tlie Lord God af Hosts Qnotivithstanding cdl Re- 
pulses given to their former Addresses^ for a Gracious 
Visit from Heaven to he made unto His Vine upon Eartli^ 
as the only and the Sufficient Relief against Impending 
Ruin hy Si^is aud Judgmeyits. 

THE PLANTS in this Vineyard of the Church are 
Reasonable Creatures ; and in Gods Visible VinejTird on 
Earth in times of greatest Degeneracy there will in all 
Ao;es be left a Remnant who belons; to the Election of 
Grace, who being Effectually Called and Satingly United 
to Christ the Head and Root of the Vine (for the Root of 

this 



202 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

this Vine is in Heaven, tlio' the Branches while in a Mih- 
tant State are on Earth.) These are true Penitents who 
are Mourners in Zion for the Iniquities thereof, Gods Re- 
membrancers, who stand in the Gap to Keep off desolating 
Judgments by their Prayers and Pleadings with Gcd : 
Thej will give God no rest Day or Night, but will plead 
with Hun for Mercy as long as they have a Tongue, and 
Breath to Speak ; and if their Breath fails, yet will even 
then give a look by Faith towards His Holy Temple in 
Heaven ; and God knows the Meaning of their broken 
Sentences when they are almost out of Breath ; He knows 
the Sense of their Looks and of their Stretched-forth 
Hands : and tho' He delay long, yet graciously Suffers 
Himself to be overcome at last, and quasi, Commanded 
by their Prayers ; seeing they will not let Him alone. He 
yields to their Importunity, yea He Assists them by His 
Spirit in Pouring forth their fervent Prayers, and is so 
delighted with the Work of His Own Hands in their Hearts? 
that He Suffers them, as it were, to govern the whole 
World by their Prayers ; seeing their Petitions are agree- 
able to, and coincident with His Glorious Ends, and de- 
signs which He proposes to Himself in Upholding and 
Governing all things. 

1. LET us Consider the Object to whom their Prayers 
are directed. The Lord God of Hosts. GOD the FATH- 
ER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT ; who hath Supreme Pow- 
er, who hath all Creatures to Militate under Him, and can 
easily Vanquish the force of Enemies. He sits Chief over 
the Angelical Cherubims, verse i. And hath His peculiar 
Residence in Heaven, v. 14. On whom the Church might 
depend for Salvations when all Earthly Helps fiiiled them. 

THE 



DANFORTll'S SERMON IN 1714. 203 

THE Church of the Jews placed all their Hopes in the 
Messiah (when their Case was most deplorable) that at His 
Coming He would restore all things ; And as God the 
Father who sent Christ, is called, The Lord of Hosts, 
Zech. 2. 8. So also is Christ Himself, who was sent by 
His Father. He sits between the Cherubims, Noting that 
His Throne is in the Third Heavens Surrounded with An- 
gels ; yea the Angels themselves partly constitute His 
Throne, on which He sits. 

THUS in our Prayers unto God for His Vineyard on 
Earth, our Faith ought to be acted distinctly on God the 
Father, the Husbandman, Vinedresser, and Owner of the 
Vineyard ; On the Lord Jesus Christ, the Root and Head 
of Influence to His Church ; And on the Holy Spirit, by 
whom the Father and Son do Work peculiarly for the good 
of the Church. 

2. THE Matter or Substance of their Petitions. 

(1) Return. Gods promise to dwell in the midst of 
Israel, was on Condition that they kept His Precepts^ 
Lev. 26. When they neglected this their Duty, they 
were liable to be forsaken of God, Jer. 7. Upon their 
Apostacies, God withdrcAV from them, hid Himself from 
them, carryed Himself as if He took no Notice of their 
Afflictions, took no Care of them, and had no Compassion- 
ate Regard to them. 

THE Church then Pravs here for the Tokens and Ev- 
idences of Gods Returning unto them m a way of Pity, 
Favour and Mercy. It's call'd Gods Coming to Save 
them, ver. 2. Unless God did after a Sort come from 
Heaven to Save them by His Efficacious Presence on 

Earth, 



204 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

Earth, tliej could not expect to be delivered out of the 
Depthof Apostacj and Calamitj which thej were fallen into. 

(2.) LOGIC dou'H from Heaven and behold this Vine. 
Hitherto God seemed to be so Angry with them that it 
seemed as if He would not design to Look on them, nor 
would give them a good Look, and would not Lock after 
them, as if He cared not what would become of them. 

THE Thing Praj^ed for then, is, a Gracious Look o^ 
Divine Pro\idence, and Look of Pity and commiseration, 
as in Isai. 63, 15. Look down from Heaven, and behold from 
the Habitation of th}^ Holiness and of thy Glory : Where 
is thy Zeal and thy Strength, the Sounding of thy Bowels 
and thy Mercy towards me ? Are they Restrained ? God 
is said to Look down from Heaven when He Pities their 
Case, who are Extremely Afflicted beyond all Measure, 
and gives them such Remarkable Help, that None can 
doubt but that their Deliverance comes from Heaven : 
Psalm 102. 19. For He hath Looked down from the 
Height of His Sanctuary, from the Heaven did the Lord 
behold the Earth ; to hear the groaning of the Prisoners, 
to loose those that are appointed to Death. 

SO great is the Insolency and Cruelty of the Enemies 
of the Church ; that Believers know if they could but pre- 
vail with the God of Heaven to turn His Eyes towards 
them, and Look upon their Distressed Case, He could not 
refrain from Helping and Pitying them, when no Eye is 
left on Earth to Pity them ; and they know that 'one Look 
from Heaven is sufficient to turn their Enemies into Con- 
fusion. When God once said, that He had seen the Op- 
pression of Israel, then Deliverance vras not far off, Exod. 
3. 7. 9. 

(3.) VISIT 



daxforth\s sermox in 1714. 205 

(3.) VISIT this Vine. I shall chieflj improve the time 
remaining in Explaining what is meant by the Divine Visit, 
or Visitation here Prayed for. And it may perhaps be 
Pleasant as well as Profitable to those who have Learned 
the Hebrew Grammar to hear the Word ips Explained 
which they have often repeated. 

1. OBSERVE. That the Y\^ord ips commonly Notes 
the Acting of a Superiour toAvards an Inferiour. When 
Inferiours Visit their Snperiours (as Children do Visit their 
Parents) it is to Comfort them with their Company, or to 
receive Council or Reproofs from them, to obtain Direction 
in their difficult Cases from their Aged Experience, and 
to obtain from them Supplies of their Wants : (And thus 
Men are said to Visit God when in Trouble, Isai. 26. 16.) 
And to pay their Duty, and Reverence to their Superiours. 
But Superiours Visit their Inferiours in a way of Pity and 
Care: So the Apostles Visited the Churches, and the 
Shepherds Visit their Flocks, to provide for them, and to 
redress what is amiss, Jer. 23. 2. Now the Visit here 
Prayed for, is requested of Him who is called the Shep- 
herd of Israel, v. i. The great Owner of the Vineyard, 
who in and by His Covenant with them had Undertaken 
the Office of a Shepherd, to Feed, Lead and Govern them, 
and to Rectify and Reform what was amiss among them. 

2. THE Word i-d is commonly used to Note, the 
Acting of God towards His People for their Good. 

INDEED soruetim^es a Day of Divine Visitation signi- 
fies p. Day of Calamity and Destruction which comes upon 
the Wicked and Impenitent. Isai. 26. 14. BLosea, 9. 7. 

As there is a Common A^isitation of all Men by a com- 
mon Death, Numb. 16. 29. So there are more Special 
(ind Signal Days of Visitation, by Strange and L^nusual 
18 " Deaths 



206 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Deaths and hj Desolating Judgments, Isai. 10. 3. Jer. 5. 
9,29. 

BUT in our Text is meant, A Merciful Visit for the 
Restoration and Recovery of the Church from Sins and 
Judgments. Thus God is said to have Visited Hannah, 
when She bear Three Sons, i Saml. 2. 21. And to Visit 
the Earth, when He Waters and Enriches it, Psal. Q5. 9. 
The Visit Pra3^ed for is that of a Father aiiorded to his 
Children, vhich is with Pity and Compassion, with Care 
and Faithfulness, as well as with Power to Help them. 
Such a Visit Joseph promised that God would give to 
Israel : Gen. 50. 24, 25. God will surely Visit you, and 
bring you out of this Land, unto the Land which He Swear 
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, Exod. 3. 16. I have 
surely Visited you and seen what is done to you, Exod. 4. 
31. When they had heard the Lord had Visited the 
Children of Israel, and that He had Looked on their Af- 
fliction, then they bowed their Heads and Worshipped. 

3. A DIVINE Visit oftentimes signifies a Remarkable, 
and sometimes a Miraculous Appearance of God, in be- 
stowing Mercies on HisPeople ; or in Delivering them out 
of Trouble. A Divine Visitation is Real and Efficacious, 
an Actual Accomplishment of Mercy for them ; and not a 
bare Preparation for Action. The Ordinary Common 
Visitation of God doth preserve Mens Life and Spirit, Job 
10. 12. But there are more Special and Peculiar Visits 
of God afforded to His People by the more than Ordinary 
Emanations of the Power, Wisdom, Grace, and Spirit of 
God : when their Case as to Men, Means, and Ordinary 
Helps, seems desperate. 

4. THIS Phrase of Visiting is Especially used to Ex- 
press the Gracious Actings of God towards His Church, 

in 



danforth's sermon in 1714. 207 

in and by CHRIST, who is GOD incarnate. \Mien God 
sent His Son into the World to take upon Him the Nature 
of Man, then God is said to have Visited His People : 
Luk. 1. 68. Through the tender Mercy of our God, the 
Day Spring from on High hath Visited us, v. 78. What 
a Wonderful Visit was this ! That He who vras God should 
Visit the Nature of jMan, and Advance it unto Union with 
the Divine Nature ! 

AGAIN. The Time of Christs Bodily Presence and 
Abode on Earth, is peculiarly called a Day of Visitation, 
Luk. 19. 41. Because thou Knewest not the Time of thy 
Visitation, Luk. 7. 18. A great Prophet is risen up 
among us, and God hath Visited His People. 

5. THAT which the Church hoped would be the Happy 
ElFect of such a. Gracious Visit from Heaven, may be Col- 
lected from several Bequests made in this Psalm, As, 

1. IN General, they hoped for all Manner of Salvations, 
by such a Visit of the God of Heaven, v. 2, 3. Visit us, 
Lord, and we shall be Saved, then our Sorrow will be 
turned into Joy, v. 7,19. 

2. MORE Particularly, Such a Visit would Turn them 
again, v, 3, i. e. Being a Happy Turn upon them, it would 
cause a Return of their former Prosperous State unto 
them : They should therefore be recovered from their 
fainting Fits, who were now at Deaths door. 

OR Thus, Such a Divine Visit vvili Turn us again to 
our God by Unfeigned Repentance, and Recover us from 
our Apostacies : Visit us, O Lord, and then we shall be 
turned unto thee from our Sins, Jer. 31. 18, Lam. 5. 21. 

3. SUCH a Divine Visit will Quicken us, v. 18. And 
Recover us from that Death which hath been upon our 

Piety 



208 THE MIxNISTRY OV TAUXTOX. 

Pietj and Prosperitj : It will make our dry Bones to come 
to Life again ; It will revive Gods Work, the Work 
of Religion among us. So sliall we call upon Tlij Name, 
and Worship Thee according to Thy Will, in Spirit and 
Truth. So shall we not go back from thee, v. J 8. But a 
stop will be put to our Apostacv from God. The Messiah 
when He Visits us vrill Restore all things, put all things 
into Order again, will Subdue our Iniquities, and Reform 
our Evil waj's. 

6. LET us Consider seme of those Gloiious Operations 
of God in an Uncommon way of Mercy, which may bear 
the Kame of such a Remarkable Visit of God from Hea- 
ven, afforded to His Vine on Earth. 

1. Yv' HEN the God of Hosts works by the Hosts of 
Heaven, the Holy Angels, for the good of His Vine ; That 
is a remarkable Visit. Thus after Rabshakehs Railing 
and Blasphemy, the Churches Enemies were found all 
dead Corpses, being destroyed by an Angel. Also vrhen 
by the holy Angels God stirs up good Motions in the 
Hearts of Men, and Spirits them to Engage in, and Per- 
form some work for God. An Angel assisted Darius in 
wielding his nevf gotten Empire, Dan. ii. 1. Angels as- 
sisted in raising up and aftervrards raising to the ground 
those mighty Empires of Persia and Greece, Dan. 10. 13, 
20, 21. All Avhich changes on the Empires were ultimate- 
ly for the sake and benefit of the Church of God : for God 
can readily part even vrith an Earthly Kingdom, and give 
it for His Churches good : So dear and precious is His 
Vine unto Him : And God hath Invisible State-Minis terg 
(even the Holy Angels) to bring about the Fates of King- 
doms and Empires. 

2. WRU]}^ 



danforth's sermon in 1714. 209 

2. WHEN Sidtahle 3Ieans and Instruments are Un- 
expeetedly raised up and afforded for the Restoring Relig- 
ion^ Peace and Order to the Church of God on Earth. God 
remarkably Visited Israel in raising up Moses, to be their 
Instrumental Saviour, and in preparing him for Civil Gov- 
ernment bj a Learned Education ; also in raising up Jo- 
seph to be a Father and She23herd unto Israel in Egypt ; 
So He raised up Judges in Israel to deliver them, who 
■were filled with the Spirit in a more than ordinary measure. 
David, Solomon, Asa, Jehosophat, Hezekiah, JSTehemiah, 
Ezra, Zerobbabel, were raised up to promote Temple-Work, 
and to set forward the Work of Reformation with all their 
might. In New-Testament times the Apostles were in an 
Extraordinary manner acted by the Holy Spirit, and made 
mlhng and able to Undertake that great Work of Gospel- 
lizing the World, which was then overspread with Pagan- 
ism and Idolatry. In such Instruments Gods People see 
the Face of God shining Mercifully upon them. 

ALSO when God ordameth Praise and Promotes His 
Own Glory, even by Instruments as unlikely as Babes and 
Sucklings, Psal. 8. 2. And by things accounted foolish 
by Carnal ^len, and things Weak and Base, and by things 
which are not, doth confound the Wise and the Mighty, 
and doth bring to nought things which are, I Cor. 1. 25, 
29. And by Men of a Modest and Meek Spirit carries 
on His AYork Successfully, so that they are not daunted 
and discouraged from their Duty, by the brow-beatings of 
Imperious Spirits ; which shows that they are Acted 
and Assisted by a Spirit beyond their own, and that God 
is with them of a Truth. 

IN such a Day of Divine Visitation God is wont to 

Communicate Ministerial Gifts in an Eminent Manner on 

18* Gospel 



210 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

Gospel Ministers, and Increasing the Number of Preacli- 
ers, and Increasing their Abilities, and Increasing their 
Forwardness and DiUgence in their Work. When God 
gives the Word, great is the Armj of them that Pub- 
lish it, Psal. 68. 11. An Army of Laborers are sent forth 
into Gods Vineyard when He hath a great Harvest to 
gather in. In such a Day His Sj^irit is not merely Given, 
but Poured forth, in the Gifts of it most plentifully on such 
as are to carry on His Work, Acts 2. 16, 17, 18. And 
they have a Spirit of forwardness to double their Diligence 
in the Work of Christs Kingdom in such a Hay and Sea- 
son, and to act with more than usual Presence, Courage 
and Vivacity ; their Hearts being Lift up in the ways of 
the Lord ; They are pressed forward and go bound in the 
Spirit about Gods Work ; They set forth with full Sail, 
having the fresh Gales of the Wind of Gods Holy Spirit 
to carry them along through most Arduous Affairs to pro- 
mote the Glory of God, and the Good of His Vineyard : 
And sometimes even Youths or Young; Men are so streng-th- 
ened with Might in the Inner Man, as that they faint not 
in the Work of God. Even in great, and almost Apostol- 
ical Enterprizes and Services for God ; as in Planting of 
Religion vrhere it was not before. 

3. WHEN Grod gives His Vine such a Visit from Hea- 
ven^ He is wont to give great Success to tlie Labours of 
His Servants whom He Calls and AjJ^^oifits to Labor in 
His Vineyard. 

(1) AT such a time God is wont to make a People Wil- 
ling to be Reformed by the Efficacy of His Spirit on their 
Hearts. They are made to be of a Teachable Spirit, and 
desirous to know and be Instructed vfherein they have 

offended 



DANFORTIl'S SERMOX IX 1714. 211 



ofFended God, and provoked Him to withdraw from them, 
and \Yhat it is that God would have them to do, that they 
may obtain the Returns of His Presence unto them again ; 
Now Pars est jSanitatis, velle Sanari. The Work of Ref- 
ormation will go on with delight when the People are gen- 
erally Willing to be Healed and to Turn from the Error 
of their Ways, being Convinced of the Necessity of it to 
prevent the Total Ruin of this Vine. It was a Visit of 
God to the Hearts of the People which made them readily 
to fall in with the Leaders and Rulers in proceedmg to a 
Publick Reformation in the Days of Josiah, Hezekiah and 
Nehemiah, so that they would Excite the Rulers to set 
about this good Work, and Strengthen their Hearts and 
Hands therein. Saying, Arise, this matter belongeth unto 
thee, be Strong and do it. Where-upon, 

(2.) ALL Ranks and Orders of Men that Fear God are 
made to Unite in Promoting the Welfare of this Vine, 
when God thus Visits them from above. Its a remarkable 
Work of God to Unite the Hearts of Good Men in deter- 
mining what ought to be done for the Promoting of Rehg- 

ion, the Reforming of Vice, and Encouraging Virtue, in 
Practicing w^hat they have agreed upon for the good of the 

Lords Vineyard ; that as they see Eye to Eye, so they 
draw all one Way ; and readily to bury all lesser Jarrs 
and Animosities, rather than the Glory of God and the 
Work of Christ should be Obstructed or Neglected. 

AND in such a time Men of an Inferiour Rank have 
been Signally Animated to give good Advice and season- 
able Reproofs unto Others, so far as became their Stations : 
Yea in such a Day of Visitation, even Infants have had 
such Impressions on their Hearts as to cry out Hosanna 
to the Son of David : And Young Persons on their Death- 
Beds 



213 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Beds have been Extraordinarily assisted to give most 
wholesome and profitable Warnings and iVdvice to their 
Companions, for their Awakening to Repentance. 

(3.) In order here-unto God hath been wont to give 
His People Remarkable Warnings, to awaken them out of 
their Security, to stir them up to Prepare to meet the 
Lord: As by many Sudden Deaths, Removal of Aged 
Christians, Amazing Fires, Pinching Scarcities, Epidemi- 
cal Sicknesses, Perplexing Turns in Humane Affairs ; and 
when God is about to Revive His Work in a particular 
Place, or among the Body of a People ; He doth Sanctify 
those. Warnings, and cause the Hearts of Men to be deep- 
ly Affected with the Dispensations of Plis Providence; 
and to consider that there is no Shelter for them against 
the Calamities impending, but only in God ; and no Ex- 
pectation to be Safe and Secure in the Evil Day, but by 
making Friends with Heaven, and Maintaining a good 
Correspondence with that Friend we have in the Court of 
Heaven, our blessed Lord JESUS CHRIST. 

(4.) THIS Success of the Labourers in Gods Vine- 
yard consists, in the Upholding of Religion where it is Set 
up, and m Planting and Propagating of it to other Places. 
It is the good Hand of God Working for His People, 
which provides Pastors after His Own Heart for His 
Church, Successfully from Age to Age; so that when 
Fathers in the Ministry have left the World, yet the 
Churches of Christ on Earth have not been left destitute 
of Qualified Persons to Feed them with the Bread of Life, 
and to Lead and Guide them according to the Rules of 
the Gospel. 

AGAIN, It is a gracious visit from Heaven that Causes 
this Vine to Propagate ; so that as People are Multiplyed, 

Churches 



danforth's sermon in 1714. 213 

Churches also should be Multiplyed : and more Ministeri- 
al Vineyards and Gardens Enclosed, for our Lord Jesus 
to take delight in, raid to walk in the midst of. 

THAT remarkable Breathing of the Spirit in the Day 
of a Merciful Visit by the God of Heaven, -which Quick- 
ens and Revives Grace in the Hearts of Old Disciples, 
doth commonly gain home some Others unto Christ, Vrliich 
-were not Converted before : as that Sermon which much 
Affects an Old Christian, is likely to be a Means of Con- 
verting Sinners unto God. And the Increase of the 
Church by New Converts doth tend to freshen and quick- 
en Grace in Old Disciples, Cant. T, 12, 13. When the 
Vineyard flourishes, and the tender Grape appears and 
Pomegranite buds forth, which is a proof of Christ's Spe- 
cial Presence with His People, Reviving His Work among 
them ; then the Affections and Delights of Gracious Souls 
are abundantly enlarged, and dravrn forth after Christ, so 
that they want words to express how dearly they Love the 
Lord Christ. 

AND the Propagation of Religion to Plantations form- 
erly L^ngospellized is Preparatorily attended with the Re- 
vival and Fresh Springing up of Religion in Places where 
it was before ; the Church (like a Mother) hath many 
Throes and Pangs, in order to the bringing forth more 
Children to her Husband Christ; Namely, the renewed 
exercise of Humiliation and Repentance, and Pleading and 
Wrestling with God by Faith in Praj^er for the Convert- 
ing, and Gospellizing of Other Places : and the fresh 
Breathings and Pourings out of Gods Spirit on His Peo- 
ple, who make up His Vineyard on Earth, is a Prognostick 
that Christ hath a Marriage Day at hand, wherein He will 
Espouse some Other People to Himself, Even such as 

knew 



214 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

knew Him not, and that called not on His Name : and that 
His Church, like a flourishing Vine, shall Spread forth its 
Branches over the Walls, and Extend it self to those who 
before were not within the Pale of the Church. 

OPI ! what luculent Evidences of a visit from Heaven 
are given forth in Planting the Gospel in Places where it 
never was before Settled, so that all must Confess, Verily 
God hath wrought this, and not Man ; When the vrorst 
sort of Sinners are changed into Saints suddenly and Sur- 
prizingly; and of Opposers become Promoters of Religion. 
Was it not strange that Israel coming out of Egypt should 
be willing to lay themselves under Bond and Covenant- 
Engagements lO keep and Obey all Gods Commandments, 
before they know in particular what God would Enjoin 
them ? 

AND although in this Age, we expect not Apostles to 
be raised up, acted by an mfalliblc Spirit ; yet it is Easy 
to grant that unto remarkable success granted to ?>Ien in 
the use of ordinary Means, there is often required a great- 
er Concurrence of Gods Communicative Power, than in 
those that a.re Extraordinary. The Vv^eakness of Instru- 
ments tends to set forth the Greatness of the Power of 
God put forth hj them. 

4. WHEN the Lord God of Hosts Looks down from 
Heaven and Visits His Vine on Earth, He doth remarka- 
bly Remove, Divert and Overcome the Opposition made to 
His Work. The Gates of Hell are always engaged in 
Opposition to the Gospel Kingdom, Math. 16. 18. The 
Gospel could never make entrance on the Kingdom of 
Satan, did not God Rem.ove and Direct the Powerful Op- 
positions made to it. The Erecting of a Church-State 
among Israel, was like the Creation of a New World, the 

Making 



danforth's sermon in 1714. 215 



Making a New Heaven, and a New Earth, Isai. 51. 15, 
16. And this was a Day of Visitation to them. Hence 
its said, Heb. 3. 7. To Day if you will hear his voice, 
&c. Sometimes remarkable Eebukes are given by Frights 
and Terrors of Conscience to Restrain those Labans, who 
would stop Gods Jacobs in their Purposes to build Altars 
to the Lord, and set up His Worship. There is sometimes 
a Day of Judicial Visitation, wherein the Chaff, Brjars, 
Thorns and Weeds: the Sticks and Stones, which offend 
the Vines, and hinder their growth, are Pickt up and 
thrown out of this Orchard and Garden of the Lord; 
Those who are obstinately bent to Oppose Gods Work, 
God hath a Day wherein to Remove them, and by terrible 
things in Righteousness doth sometimes answer the Prayers 
of His People for the flourishing of His Vine on Earth, 
Psal. 65. 2. Also God doth Restrain the Wrath, Bound 
and Limit the Malice of His Enemies, and Disappoint their 
Crafty Projects vfhereby they Endeavor to Circumvent, 
Prevent, and Obstruct all good Designs. The Wisdom of 
God hereui, is in these Latter Ages especially Exerted 
rather than His Power. And the astonishing Hardness of 
Heart judicially inflicted on some at such a time, is also a 
sign that it is a Day and Season of a Divine Visitation. 
When there be Instances of some that are Provoked, En- 
raged, Tonnented by that Word which Converts Others, 
Rev. 11. 10. Y\lio are cut to the Heart to see the Gos- 
pel Flourish and the Kingdom of Christ prevail ; and who 
do grow worse under all Divine Cultivations ; that Sen- 
tence is past upon them. He that is Unjust and Filthy, 
Let him be so still. Rev. 22. 11. The Preremptory Op- 
position which such make to the Ways and Truths of God 
is a proof that their Consciences are scorched with it. 

5. m 



216 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 



5. IN sucli a Day of Divine Visitation of the Vine- 
yard, God is won't to Prune and Lop off the Exuberancies 
of the good Vines, which hinder their Growth and Fruit- 
fulness. God Sanctifies those Afflictions to them which 
He Exercises His Vineyard with, to Humble them and to 
cause Grace to take the deeper Root down-wards in their 
Hearts, that they may bring forth more and better Fruits 
upwards. ^ Some forward Humoursome Saints, after God' 
hath taken them in hand, and Pruned and Purged them 
by Afflictions, do become very Humble, Patient, Meek 
and Holy Christians : Others, almost ruined by a Worldly 
Spirit, after Divine Purgations become of a Publick Spir- 
it, and forward to do Service for God : The Contentious 
are made Peaceable, yea become Peace-Makers ; and the 
Selfish made Generous, and the Slow and Dull and Slug- 
ish Christian quickened and made forward and ready to 
every good Work. At such a Time when there is a Re- 
vival of Religion by gaining New Converts unto Christ, 
Aged Christians are wont to Experience a New and Sec- 
ond Conversion in their Souls, wherein the whole Work of 
Repentance and Faith is Repeated and Exercised over 
again in them. 

6. SUCH a Visit from Heaven for the Reviving and 
Reforming of Gods Vine on Earth, is attended with Re- 
markable Preservations, Deliverances and Outward Pros- 
perity. The Fence and Hedges about the Vineyard are 
anew Repaired. The Church (yea the World) always 
fares the better, even in Outward respects, when Religion 
Revives, and when this Vine doth Flourish. Never any 
Plantation or Nations fared the vrorsc for havins; Gods 
Vineyard Planted among them. 

T. WHEN the Lord of Hosts doth in Mercv a;ive His 

Vine . 



danforth's sermon in 1714. 217 

Yiiieyard on Earth a visit, He doth not tany with them 
merely for a Night as a Traveller and a Wayfaring Man, 
but makes His Abode with them. He grants them Days, 
yea Years of His Gracious Visitation and Presence with 
them, Hos. 9. 7., Jer. 11. 23. He doth not merely come 
Once to look upon His Vine ; but often Returns to Set 
things in Order that it may flourish ; He gives forth Re- 
peated Effusions of His Spirit, and renewed manifestations 
of God in His Glory, when He is resolved to build up 
Zion, and to have His Work carryed on to Effect. God 
will not suffer His tender Plants to ])e Nipt in the Bud, 
tho' Satan Endeavour it by His Power and Stratagems. 

8. WHEN He who is called the Desire of all Nations 
doth come and Visit His Vine, and cause it to Spread and 
propagate, there are usually great Concussions, Convul- 
sions, and Shaldngs among the Nations ; God then Shakes 
the Heaven and the Earth, the Sea and the Dry Land ; 
and proper tionably in a lesser degree, the Planting and 
Propagating of Religion in any dark Corner of a Land is 
not without Convulsions among them ordinarily. 

BUT it is time to Proceed to some APPLICATION. 

LET us all he Exlwrted to Endeavor hy Prayer^ and 
all Other Proj^er Ifeans to Ohtain such a Visit from the 
Lord G-od of Hosts unto His Vine, which His Oivn Right 
Hand hath Planted in this Land. 

LET us Consider, 

1. THAT Nothing short of a Divine Visitation can 

Recover the Church from Apostacies and Calamities. All 

the Power of Men and Angels, cannot turn a Degenerate 

Plant into a Noble Vine, nor Recover a Degenerate 

19 Church, 



218 THE MIXISTEY OP TAUNTON. 

Church, nor Kevive Dying Religion. The use of other ' 
Means of Gods Appointment, will avail nothing 'till God 
Himself do come do^yn from Heaven by His Gracious Ef- 
ficacious Presence, to work with us, by us, in us, and for 
us. Indeed God accepts of the good Will and Desires of 
His People, and of their Weak Endeavours to do what 
they can for the Promoting His Kingdom and Interest on 
Earth, and we have reason to be ashamed of our Slothful- 
ness and Backwardness to do what we might do in our 
several Capacities to Promote Virtue and Holiness (for 
who knows but that God would as it were Step down from 
Heaven, to work with us, and by us, if we did Strenuous- 
ly Engage in His Work ?) But the Virtue and Power of 
IMan is Weakness itself, yea Nothing ; it is God who brings 
all to pass, which is done for the good of His Vine, Acts 
3. 12. Paul may Plant and Apollos may Water, but God 
alone gives the increase. When Israel b}^ their Sins had 
ripened themselves for Buin, the Judgment of God came 
upon them, even in those times wherein they had Godly 
Bulers, and good Kings, and extraordinary Prophets, who 
used utmost Endeavors to Reform them, and so to prevent 
Impending Judgments from being Executed upon them ; 
Vain then is the Help of Man to Save us from Sins and 
Judgments : If God forsake a People they are Undone, 
and their Case becomes as desperate as if they were al- 
ready cut down and cast into the Fire, v. 16. When a 
People are Entered into a way of Apostacy and Backslid- 
ing from God, tho' at first their Motion be Slow and grad- 
ual, yet at length they (like the Possessed Swine) run 
down hill violently and grow Avorse and v>'orse in a little 
time : Facilis Descensus Averni. What a Multitude fell 
away to Idolatry in Rehoboam's time ? How many did 

Mahomet 



danI'Ohth's sermon in 1714. 219 

jMaliomet seduce in a little time ? Sometimes the Apos- 
tacj (which is a sort of Conspiracy against Religion) 
prevails to such a height as to carry all before it ; In such 
a time Iniquity abounds and none dare or care to oppose 
it: and none but God can stop Men in their Career of Sin, 
and turn them back from their Evil Courses ; their Hearts 
bemg fully set in them to do Evil; None but God can turn 
them about and cause them to set their Faces to Seek the 
Lord God of their Fathers. 

2. IT is the absence and withdrawing]!; of God from 
His Vineyard, that is the Reason why all things are out 
of Order therein. When the Master and Owner of a 
Garden is long absent, Fences and Hedges soon decay, 
and the Garden and Orchard yields little Fruit for want 
of Digging, Pruning, Weeding and other good Husbandry, 
which the Masters Eye and Presence w^ould from time to 
time carefully bestow^ upon it. The Sins of Gods Visible 
People Provoke Him to hide Himself from them, yea to 
forsake His Vineyard ; we first forsake God by our Sins, 
before the Lord forsake us ; and when we loose the gra- 
cious Presence of God, we soon loose both our Piety and 
Prosperity. How soon will ill Weeds spring up and grow 
apace in the Vineyard, and have remarkable Success m 
Promoting an Apostacy from God ; and all attempts for 
Reformation are unsuccessful, when God is departed from 
Israel. The Means of Grace are Evanid when the Spirit 
of God is withdrawn, 2 Chron. 24. 20. Ye cannot Pros- 
per, because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath forsaken 
you : After Israel forsook the Lord, He deprived them of 
skilful Pilots to direct them, of Pious Priests to intercede 
for them ; the destroying Angel arrested them and deliv- 
ered them up, to the Fowls of the Air, and Beasts of the 

Fields ; 



220 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Fields ; and the Land of Canaan which God gave their 
Fore-Fathers was delivered up to the most wicked of the 
Heathen; first to the Romans, then to the Saracens, and 
at last to the barbarous Turks : and because thej rejected j|| s 
Christ, the Light of the World, are Judicially given up to ^ 
grope in the very Sunshine of the Gospel, like Wind Men 
that can't see a beaten Path. 

3. CONSIDER, That tJie Return of tJie Lord God of 
Hosts, in a ivay of Mercy to Look doivnfrom Heaven and 
Visit His Virie in and by the Son of His Right Hand, is 
sufficient to Recover His People from the Loivest dej)ths 
of Apostacy from God, and from the ivorst of Miseries 
and Ccdamities. God can do every thing ; with Him all 
things are possible ; Nothing is too hard for God. One 
Look and Visit of this Great Physician heals the worst 
and most incurable Maladies. He can open the blind 
Eyes, mollify the hardest Hearts, and heal the most griev- 
ous backslidings of His People. He may at all times say, 
Veni, vidi, vici. "V\^hen tlie Lord is -pleased to pour out of 
His Spirit abundantly upon a People and rain down Right- 
eousness upon them ; wlien He waters it from above with 
the fresh influences of His Spirit, then the Vine shall re- 
vive and spring up as the Grass. When God comes to us 
from Heaven, and brings much of Heaven with Him to 
His People on Earth, then they shall be Saved, vers. 3. 
7, 19. Where Christ com.es. Salvation comes; so He 
said to Zacheus, This Day is Salvation come to thy House ; 
The Lord never comes empty handed ; wherever He sets 
up His Throne, His Train fills the Temple, He brings a 
Train of Mercies with Him for Soul and Body ; There I 
will meet with thee and bless thee. Gods Meeting; with 
His People never goes alone, without bestowing blessings 
upon them. 4. ' CON- 



DANFORTll's SERMON IN 1714. 221 

4. COXSIDER, After what Manner we should Pray 
for such a Divine Visit. 

(1.) WE should Pray Humbly and Penitently. We 
should be deeply sensible of our miworthiness that the 
Lord of Hosts should give us so much as one good Look, 
or that He should come under our Roofs ; and that it is 
infinite Condescention in the High and Lofty One, to come 
and dress our Wounds, and bind them up for us ; seeing 
our Sins deserve that the Lord should cast us off for ever : 
We should Mourn for our Sins whereby we have Provok- 
ed the Eyes of His Glory to turn away from us ; and have 
provoked Him to stop His Ears against our Cryes, and to 
hide His Face from us and to frown upon us with the Re- 
bukes of His Countenance. However, we should humbly 
spread before Him our Lamentable State, our decays in 
Grace and Fruitfulness, that the Vineyard goes to decay 
and is almost dead ; and we should spread before Him our 
Miseries and Distresses, that we are L^ndone, without His 
ILelping Omnipotent Hand be put forth for the Revival of 
Religion ; We should Prostrate our Selves at the Feet of 
Divine Mercy, resolving if we Perish, that it shall be in 
the Posture of Penitent Supplicants at the Throne of 
Grace for the Return of Gods Mercy to us. Who knows 
but that the Merciful God who heard the groanings of Is- 
rael, Exod. 1. 24, and had respect to them; will also be 
moved to Compassionate our Case ? 

(2.) OUR Prayers should be conjoined with Holy 
Purposes and Endeavours to Reform our Evil Ways, by 
the Help of GOD. Would we have the Great God come 
and Visit our Hearts, and our Houses, and our Churches, 
we should then Prepare for His Coming, by cleansing our 
Hearts, Houses and Societies, from all that is filthy and 
19* ungrateful 



222 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

ungrateful to Him ; from all filthiness of Flesli and Spirit ; 
Put all tilings in Order, if wc intend that the King of 
Glory should come in and walk and dwell among us. Let 
us find out "what the Sins are w^hich Keep God at a dis- 
tance from us, which Separate between our God and us, 
and Provoke Him so much, that He will not give us a 
good Look. We should cease from doing Evil, and learn 
to do well, that so the Lord without diminution of the 
Glorj of His Holiness, may return unto us in Mercy. 
Those who continue Obstinate Sinners and hate to be Re- 
formed, instead of Praying in a Right manner to the Lord 
to Return to us, do practically say to the Almighty, De- 
part out of our Coasts. How dare any but the truly Con- 
trite put up this Prayer in our Text, That God would Look 
from Heaven and behold them, and their behaviours? 
Those who are going on in a Course of Sin, care not that 
a God of Lifinite Holiness should behold and observe their 
Wickedness. 

(3.) OUR Prayers for a Divinie Visit should be Fer- 
vent and Importunate. Wrestle with God in Prayer, take 
no denial at His Hand : Oh ! let us Cry mightily to Heav- 
en for One Good Look more, the Smiles of His Counte- 
nance upon us, and that He would Return to us and leave 
a blessing behind Him : Plead with God, Lord, Hast Thou 
no Mercy in Store for this Generation ? Hast Thou Ut- 
terly cast off and abhorred them ? Art Thou resolved not 
to bestow of Thy Spirit upon them? &c. But How shall 
we plead in Prayer for such a Visit ? 

1. PLEAD we for the soverai2;n Grace of God to be 
exerted towards us, that which is undeserved by us, and 
for which we can make no Recompence : Let us Plead 
thus, Lord, will it not Glorify Thy Soveraign Grace and 

Mercy. 



DANFORTII'S SERMON IN 1714. 223 

Mercy, to Revive Thy Work among such a Degenerate 
People, to remove the Iniquity of our Land in One Day ? 
Zech. 3. 9. Will not that be a Glorious Days work in- 
deed ? Will not the Lord gain as much Glory to His 
Great Name, by Pardoning our Sins, giving us Repen- 
tance, and by Pruning and Purging His Vineyard, as He 
can gain to His Justice by giving us up to our own Hearts 
Lusts, thereby to ripen our selves for Ruin? 

2. LET us Plead for a Divine Visit in the Kame and 
for the Sake of the Son of IMan, the Son of Gods Right 
Hand ; who is the Root and Head of the Vine ; yea most 
properly He is the Vine it Self. Let us Exercise Faith 
in our Lord Messiah, our Great Friend in the Court of 
Heaven, to Intercede with God for us that such a Gra- 
cious Visit from Heaven may be afforded unto us on Earth. 
The Reason why Christ did no mighty Works in some 
Places, during His Bodily Presence on Earth, was because 
of their L^nboiief, who dwelt in those Places ; Let us strive 
against Unbelief and Labour for a Lively Exercise of Faith 
on the Promises, of the Covenant and on Christ in the 
Promises ; for God hath Engaged to Return again to His 
People when they Return to Him, and Seek Him with 
their whole Hearts: So in Prov. 1. 28. Turn ye at my 
Reproof; and then Behold (beyond your deserts, and be- 
3^ond your hopes, and to your Admiration) I will pour out 
my Spirit upon you. Let us plead that Promise made by 
God the Father unto Christ, That He shall see His Seed, 
or have a Visible Vine upon Earth in all Ages, notwith- 
standing all the Power & Policy of Hell whereby it is op- 
posed. Let us plead the Interest which the Lord Christ 
hath in the Church on Earth, and the Glory that redounds 
to Christ the IMediator, by the Preserving, Propagating & 

Flourish- 



224 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

.Flourishing of His Vineyard on Earth : It is the only 
Garden, Orchard (or Eden) which Christ hath on Earth, 
wherein He takes delight to Walk, and Recreate Himself. 
3. LET us plead with God that it is the Vineyard, 
which His Ovrn Right Hand hath Planted, v. 8. 15. It 
is such a Work, wherein the Glorious Power of Gods Ovai 
Right Hand appears in every Age, to Plant Religion y>'here 
it was not, and to Preserve it where it hath been Planted, 
and to Revive it where it is Decay'd and Languishing. Let 
us then plead with God that He would not forsake the 
Work of His Own Hands ; That that Work (which above 
all other Y\"orks He appropriated to Himself, to be His 
Own Work) may appear to His Servants; that Work 
which He is pleased to call His Glory, may appear to the 
Children of His Servants ; that Work of Establishing Re- 
ligion among us, which is the Be?.uty and Comeliness of 
the Lord our God put upon us ; may flourish more and 
more as an Evidence of a Divine Visit granted unto us, 
Psal. 90. 16, 17. Let us plead with God and put Llim in 
Remembrance of this, That it is the great End & Design 
of Divine Providence in disposing of Kmgdoms, and in all 
the Turns & Fates that attend them, to promote the good 
of His Vine upon Earth ; and were it not for Gods Vine- 
yard upon Earth, what would the whole World be but an 
Hell upon Earth. Where Religion flourishes, all other 
good Interests Prosper: But as Religion decays, so a 
People may conclude that things will go ill with them. 
This Vineyard of the Lord on Earth He hath an Eye and 
Regard to, in all other of His Works, and as it were lays 
aside all other Works, that He may Mmd the good of His 
Vine . Yea He dispences Blessings, and Curses to Men, 
according to that regard or disregard which they have to 

His 



DANFORTil'S SERMON IN 17 L4. 225 

I His Vineyard on Earth. Gon. 12. 3. I vvill bless them 
that bless thee, and cnrse him that ciirseth thee. Let us 
then plead with God thus, Lord, thou knowest how few 
there be in the World that Fear Thj Name, that Profess 
Religion, that bring Honour to God their Creator, to Christ 
their Redeemer; Thou hast reserved to Thy Self but a 
Little Spot of Ground on Earth to be Thy Garden Inclos- 
ed ; and all the Rest of the World are suffered to go on 
in their Own Ways to Thy Dishonour; and wilt thou not 
Stand by those that Stand for Thee? Wilt Thou not 
Honour them that Honour Thee ? Shall Satan prevail & 
leave Christ no Garden-Spot on Earth to Walk in ? For 
Thy Nam^e Sa,ke, Let it not be so. 

5. CONSIDER, Some Motives to Excite us in our 
Prayers to God for such a Gracious Visit. We have tlie 
Command of God given forth to us, to put up this Petition 
Daily, Thy Kingdom Come ! Unto which Command we 
should manifest our ready Obedience. We have the Ex- 
ample of the Church in our Text set before us for our Im- 
itation, to Pray for the Lords Vineyard the Church, when 
under greatest Distresses & Degeneracies. We have the 
Promises & Prophecies of the Scripture, wherein Mercy 
is Stored up for the People of God ; we have the Predic- 
tions of the future Glorv of the Church, and some Pledo;es 
of it before Hand, Psal. 72. 6, 7, 8. In the Days of 
Christ the True Solomon, The Righteous shall flourish, 
there shall be abundance of Peace. He shall have domin- 
ion from Sea to Sea, and from the River to the Ends of 
the Earth. The taking down the Partition- Wall between 
Jews & Gentiles whereby the Vine of the Church was 
made to spread its branches over the Wall ; did not take 
in the whole World into the Lords Vineyard, at Once ; 

but 



226 THE MIXISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

but there is still a distinction to be made betvreen the 
Church and the rest of the World which lies in Wicked- 
ness ; between a Religious People bj a visible Profession 
and the rest of the World that are Perishing for want of 
Vision; therefore Gods dealings with some particular Na- 
tions and People may jet in times to come resemble Ilis 
Dispensations towards Israel, in taking them to be a Select 
People to Himself, in Forming them to be a People pecu- 
liarly for iniHself to shovf forth His Praise, bj Erecting 
His Visible Kingdom in all the Priviledges, Ordinances & 
Worship thereof among them. Let us then be moved to 
Pray in Faith, and with Hope and Expectations of the 
Glorious Things which are Spoken of, concerning Zion the 
City of our God. 

ANOTHER Motive may be turned into an Expostu- 
lation with our own Souls. Are we Y>"illin2r that Gods 
Mystical Paradise, His Garden of Pleasure upon Earth, 
should be quite Defaced, Razed & Extinguished ? Are 
Aged Christians willing that Religion should dye with 
themselves ? No sure, we dare not harbour such Cruelty 
in our Hearts ! Let us then Cry mightily to God for the 
Preservation of His Vineyard, that Religion nia^y be Prop- 
agated to the Succeeding Generations, by new Decents of 
the Lord God of Hosts from Heaven; by new & plentiful 
EiFusions of His Spirit on all Flesh! We can't find it in 
our Hearts, to be willino; that Relio'ion should take its 
flight from our Land or that the Vineyard of Christ here 
should be under a Divine Dereliction ! Let us then Cry 
fervently to God to Revive His Work among us in the 
Midst of the Years: that it may not be Charged onus, 
that we by our Lukewarmness & Slothfulncss & other 
Sins Contributed to the Ruine of these Churches, and 

drove 



danforth's sermon in 1827. 227 

drove a^vay tlie gracious Presence of God from this His 
Vineyard. 

LET me add another Motive ; Namely, That we might 
Enjo}^ more of Heaven upon Earth v>'ere it not our o^Yn 
Faults. We might have more Visits from the Lord God 
of Hosts and the Man of His Right Hand, did we fervent- 
ly Pray for them ; For Christ hath promised to give His 
Holy Spirit to those that Ask it of Him ; what God has 
wrought by some Glympses of His Gracious Aspect from 
Heaven in some Persons, Families & Plantations for the 
Revivinfi; of Relio-ion, demonstrates what He could and 
would do more generally and abundantly, when tliere is a 
general Application in a right manner made to Him for 
this Mercy. May we not esteem it a good Omen that the 
God of Hosts will lengthen out the Day of His gracious 
Visitation unto us (unless by our Apostacies persisted in 
we refuse His Company) even in this Century also, seeing 
He hath so ordered in His Providence, that this New & 
Famous House should be Erected, wherein we now As- 
semble, in the Metropohs of our Province, for that best of 
Uses, the Celebration of Divine AVorship ; and that this 
House should with such Expedition & Success be com- 
pletely finished, in a Day of many & great Distresses 
upon us, whereby Occasion has been given to many to 
shew their Love to God & His House by their Liberal 
Donations towards this Building ; withal Exercising their 
Faith and oHpe that God will still build up His Mystical 
House and Vineyard in this Land, and that in this House 
Ave shall Enjoy much of Heaven upon Earth, the Manifes- 
tations of God to our Souls, and those delights appropriat- 
ed to His Mystical Paradise. 

0. AND Lastlv, Consider, Yv'lio thev are that should 

more 



228 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTOX. 

more especially concern tliemselyes for the Obtaining such 
a Visit from Heaven to bo made to His Vineyard upon 
Earth, and more particularly to the Vine vrhich the Lord 
of Hosts by His Own Right Hand, (working by remarka- 
ble Providences) hath Planted in this Wilderness. Now 
all Sorts of Men are Ranked into Rulers and Subjects : 
and something might Pertinently be Spoken from this 
Subject to them all. As to those in Chief Rank among 
us in the State and in the Church, My Innate Modesty 
forbids me, to say much; Yet I shall not wholly Preter- 
mit the usual Custom of saying something with suitable 
Brevity. 

AND in the First Place, My Speech may be directed 
to His Excellency, Our Governour in Chief,* who hath 
been betrusted with the Care of the Lords Vineyard in 
this Land for many years past. 

EXCELLENT SIR, We Acknowledge the great Mer- 
cy & Kindness of our GOD, who hath moved the Heart 
of the QUEENS Most Excellent Majesty, to Impower & 
Improve Your Excellency, to Lead, Guide and Govern 
us ; and that the Lord hath Preserved Your Life hitherto, 
and Your Abilities of doing Eminent and Remarkable 
Services for His Vineyard, in defending it against the 
Boars & Wild Beasts of Heathen Adversaries, and our 
other Neighboring Enemies, during the late Long War; 
and in Manaiiins: the Civil Affairs of this Province so as 
that the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts therein hath En- 
joyed Tranquility hitherto ; and in giving forth Proclama- 
tions & Exhortations to Your People here from time to 
time to Excite & Encourage them to Set about the Work 
of REFORMATION; and in Countenancing and Encour- 



agmg 



Joseph Dudley. 



DANFORTIl'S SERMON IN 1714. 229 



aging the Propagation of Religion, tlie Planting it in tlio 
dark Corners of our Land, and the Upholding of it where 
it was Planted. We heartily render our Thanks to Your 
Excellency for these Favours ; and believe your Excellen- 
cy doth Esteem it Your Glory, and a sufficient Reward of 
it Self, that the Lord of Hosts is Pleased to Accept of 
such Y^our Desires & Endeavours to Promote the Flour- 
ishing of His Yinej^ard in this Land: and that on these 
Accounts All the Churches of this Province Salute You ; 
and Pray for Your Prosperity. God grant we may have 
Always such a GOVERNOUR, who like Moses is daily 
Lifting up his Hands & Heart to GOD in the Heavens, 
for the Prosperity of these Churches : For the Fervent 
Prayers of Rulers keep off dismal Strokes from a People. 

NEXTLY; TO the Honourable Members of Her Maj- 
esties COUNCIL, and of the House of Representatives; 
I would only add. That as Y^ou have hitherto, so we trust 
you will still, hold on and continue in your Pious Endeav- 
ours to Promote the Flourishing of Religion in this Land, 
the Suppression of Vice, the Encouragement of Virtue, 
the regulating of Disorders, tlie Composing of Differences, 
that Arise ; that you may be able to say. That All that 
could be done by Men in your Stations, according to the 
best of your Abilities, for the good of this Vine, Y^ou have 
Endeavoured to be found in the Performance thereof; 
May the Lord God of Hosts accept of your Endeavours, 
and give them Success through His blessing upon them ! 

THIRDLY; To My Reverend Fathers & Brethren in 
the ^linistry: I take leave in all Humility to say, That 
when the Lord of Hosts intends a Remarkable Visit to 
His Vine on Earth, He is wont to Raise up ]\Iinisters and 
fill those that are the Standing i^Iinistry in His Churches, 
20 in 



230 THE MINISTRY OF TArXTOX. 

in a more than Common Measure with His Holy Sj^irit; 
so that they are carryed forth with more than usual Cour- 
age, Forwardness, Diligence & Activity in their Station, 
for the Restoring & Preserving Religion in their several 
Charges ; they have at such a time peculiar Impressions 
from Above, both as to the Subjects they are to handle, 
and as to the manner of treating of them ; Their Facul- 
ties & Abilities are quickened & Enlivened, their Minis- 
terial Gifts & Graces Enlarged, their good Aifections and 1 
Zeal Encreased, and their "Watchfulness over their Flocks 
to Promote their Spiritual Good more abundant than be- 
fore ; and a Spirit of Prayer is in such a Day of Visita- 
tion Poured out upon the INIinistry in a High Degree, and 
the Bent of their Souls is to Promote Religion, to Convert 
and Edify Souls, and they are made Resolute in this Work, 
to Pursue & Prosecute it, notwithstanding all the Opposi- 
tions & Discouragements that attend them therein. And 
they are forward and ready to Reform what-ever is amiss 
in themselves, that they may become Patterns to the 
Flocks of Christ, Exemplary in Good Works, and as Shin- 
ing Lights in a Dark World. Blessed be God who hath 
Supplyed His Churches with such a Ministry hitherto ; 
and let us all Cry to Heaven that such a Ministry may be 
continued unto these Churches Successively; and that 
God will be pleased to Accompany their Labours with His 
blessing. 

FOURTHLY; To Aged Christians: Give me leave to 
say ; You are the Peculiar Friends & Ancient Acquain- 
tance of the God of Heaven, who are yet left on Earth ; 
Oh ! therefore Improve your Interest in God to Prevail 
with Him to Look down, and Come down, and Visit this 
His Vine! 

FIFTHLY : 



DANFORTIl'S SERMON IN 1714. 231 

FIFTHLY; To the Churches of New-England: who 
have been & are yet the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, 
who enjoy the Privileges of His Visible Kingdom, the To- 
kens of His Presence, the Ordinances of His House; and 
in that respect have from the first Founding of our 
Churches, and first Planting of this A^ineyard, enjoy'd a 
Day of Divine Gracious Visitation ; and altho' we have 
Experienced great Decays & Declensions, the loss of our 
First Love, and the Withdrawings of Gods Spirit; so that 
the Churches sometimes Complain of their Barrenness, 
that Few are Converted & New Born to Christ, and the 
Work of Christ is sometimes under Sensible & Visible 
Languishments ; yet we have reason to Bless God Vvdio 
gives from Revivals of His Work, sometimes in One 
Church, and sometimes in Another; and from thence 
should be Encouraged to plead with God for a more Gen- 
eral Effusion of His Spirit upon all His Churches, that all 
Parts of His Vineyard may Flourish ; even the dark Cor- 
ners of our Vineyard, that they may have Wisdom to 
know the Day of their Visitation, and to Accept of the 
Gospel Offered to them, and bid Welcome to Our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who Offered to come & dwell among them ; 
lest they should Provoke God to Visit them in Judgment 
& Fury. 

LxiSTLY; TO Impenitent Sinners and Hypocrites: 
Let me say. What will you do in the Day of Visitation ? 
For when God gives His Vineyard a Visit in Love, in or 
der to its Fruitfulness ; Oh ! what danger are they in who 
are as Dry & Withered Branches ; they are as Thorns & 
Bryars in the Vineyard, that hinder the Flourishing of 
Religion in the Places where they Live ? They may just- 
ly expect to be pluckt up by the Roots, Cut down and 

Cast 



232 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 

Cast into the Fire ; unless speedy Repentance & Kefor- 

mation prevent it. 

Having thus after my Weak manner, given you the Ex- 
plication of the Text, with some Application, as by 
Divine Leave and Help, Let us all as One Repeat it 
in way of Supplication; Return, we beseech Thee, 
God of Hosts ; L<x)k down from Heaven, and behold, 
and Yislt this Vine. 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER FIVE. 



Note A. Page 182. 

What Mr. Baylies means liy "various qualifications" is ex- 
plained elsewhere : ' ' He did not confine himself to theology, but 
attained a competent knowledge of the iMedical art, and was no 
contemptible lawyer." The like idea is advanced in the "In- 
troductory Notice" to this volume, where Mr. Danforth is rep- 
resented as combining the offices and performing the functions 
of two at least of what are o-enerally termed the ' ' learned Pro- 
fessions." 

I could wish that some one, at present engaged in the prac- 
tice of Medicine or of the Law in town, would give us a de- 
tailed account of the rise and progress of these Professions. 
The few enquiries which I have been able to make on this sub- 
ject furnish the following facts : 

Fii'st, with regard to the Medical Profession. 

Doctor Ezra Deane 

is the first Physician, of whom I have vaiy knowledge as prac- 
ticing in Taunton. He was contemporar}^ with Mr. Danforth, 
having died, (according to an old record found in the Danforth 
family,) " July 1, 1737." 

Doctor Deane was the eldest son of Ezra, the second son of 
Walter Deane. His mother was daughter of Dea. Samuel Ed- 
son of Bridgewater. It is generally supposed he was the father 
of the family remarkable for its longevity in the history of the 
Deanes, eleven of his children living more than a thousand 
years. It is also supposed, that his house was somewhere in 
20* 



234 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Deane Street. One of his daugbters, Tlieodora,* wlio lived 
more than an hundred years, was the mother of Doctor Job 
Godfrey, one of the most eminent Physicians of the town in 
the last century. 

Doctor Job Godfrey 

was the son of Richard and Theodora. Richard Godfrey was 
the son of Richard wlio mamed Mary Walker, and had two 
sons, Richard and James, and two daughters. Richard, the 
grandfather of Job, was the son of Richard, who married Mary, 
the daughter of John Richmond, and had sons, Richard, John 
and Joseph, the last of whom died single. Their father again 
was the son of a Richard, who was the original of the name in 
this vicinity and settled in Squawbefty in 1652, marrying a 
daughter of John Turner, and having sons, Richard, John and 

Robert, t 

Doctor Godfrey was born m 1742, and died in 1818, ^ hav- 

* The inscription on the stone in the gravc-yarcl on " the Phiin" thns 
records iicr death: " Theodora, Avidow of Major Eichard Godfrey, died 
Jan. 14, 1813, aged 100 years, 14 days." 

t There is an amusing story tokl of Robert Godfrey, which althongh 
it may reflect somewhat npon the deportment of Robert, seems to ilhis- 
trate the general integrity of the timies. Robert led a single life, and 
was not so mindful of all tlie proprieties of life as he should have been. 
He Avas once arraigned l)cfore Rev. INIr. Danfortli, who was quite in the 
habit of acting as a Justice of the Peace, l)efore the tribunals and min- 
isters of the laAV made their appearance in Taunton, on the charge of 
offering to kiss a young lady for -whom he had conceived a sudden 
fondness. The charge Avas sustained, and the clerical magistrate sent 
the offender with a note to the executioner of the law at Plymouth, di- 
recting him to inflict on Robert a certain number of lashes. The note 
was carried the Avhole distance on foot; the sentence of the court Avas 
strictly complied Avith, and Robert, smarting under the salutary castiga- 
tion of the Avhipping post, Avas about to take his leave, Avhen he Avas in- 
formed that it Avas necessary the execution of the sentence should be 
recorded, at the expense of the offender. Robert AA-as in a great dilem- 
ma. He had no money, nor did he knoAV of any one of Avhom he could 
borroAV. He asked leave of absence that he might look up some friend 
Avho Avould minister to his relief. After searching in vain for a long 
time, he returned to the whipping-master, sagely remarking, that "he 
did'nt care Avhether it Avas recorded or not." So saying, he returned 
home as he went, on foot, probably resolving thenceforth to do better. ^ 
X Doctor Godfrey is thus described on the monument erected to his 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 235 

ing practiced in Taunton nearly half a century, and acquired 
an uncommon reputation for skill and success in Lis professional 
services. He married Abigail Jones* of Raynham, and had 
six children, two sons and four daughters. Ahby married Abi- 
athar Codding and is now dead. Betsey married Elisha Pad- 
elford. Sally married Gilbert Winslow of Freetown. Hannah 
died single, and bequeathed $1000 to the noble object of suit- 
ably enclosing the Burial place on the Plain ; which legacy has 
been faithfully appropriated by the executor of her will, Joseph 
Wilbor, Esq. It were greatly to be desired that some other 
Hannah of like spirit might be found who would remember a 
still more ancient Depository of the dead, at the Neck o' land, 
which is too often desecrated by the boisterous sports of chil- 
dren, and the incautious tread of hungry cattle. John, the el- 
dest son of the Doctor, is yet living at the advanced age of 
eighty-three — having been Proprietors' clerk more than sixty 
years, and at present is the only surviving ancient Proprietor. 
He has been preceded in his office by some of the most distin- 
guished men in the town, viz: fGreorge Godfrey, Brigadier 
General and Justice of the Peace ; Benjamin Williams, Judge 
of Probate, and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas; Seth 
Williams, the son of Samuel, the eldest son of Richard Wil- 
liams, and for a time Judge of the Court of Common Pleas; 
tThomas Leonard, also a Judge of the C. of C. P. and a 

memory : " A man of great worth, whose physical, intellectual and 
moral powers were remarkably adapted to his sphere of action. Fifty 
vears of unexampled lal)or and success were testimonials of his excel- 
lences in the healing- art, Avhile his zeal to promote the general good was 
a proof of his benevolence. His heart was alive in all the rehitions of 
life. Honor, punctuality and justice marked his steps. The voice of 
pain and disease from the obscurest penury reached his ear and com- 
manded his skill. He was justly entitled to the distinguished appella- 
tion of the disinterested Physician, a father to tlie poor. He died Aug. 
26, 1813, aged 70 years." 

* She died Nov. 28, 1814, in her 70th year. 

t Judge Morton remarked to me once, that Brigadier General God- 
frey probably did more law business, in the latter part of the last cen- 
tury, than any professed lawyer in town. Several bushels of his old pa- 
pers, which have recently come under the examination of Mr. E. H. 
Eeed. tend to verify this remark. 

X William R. Deanc in his genealogical memoir of the family calls 



236 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



leading character in liis day, and *Shadracli Wilbore, the model 
Town Clerk. 

Mr. Godfrey married Catharine Montgomery, grand-daughter 
of Rev. Mr. Wales, the first minister of Raynham. 

The younger son of Doctor Godfrey, Jones, led a single life, 
and pursued the profession of his father. He graduated at 
Brown University in 1793, and practiced as a Physician in 
Taunton till the time of his death in 1831. t He occupied the 
house of his father on the east side of the Neck o' land bridge. 

Contemporary with Doctor Job Godfrey in the earlier part of 
his practice, were Hon. David Cobb and Hon. William Baylies, 
both distinguished not only in their profession, but in other de- 
partments of life. At one period of their life they were associ- 
ate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, holding their seats 
on the Bench at the same time with George Leonard of Norton, 
and Walter Spooner of New-Bedford. | 

Hoyi. David Cohb, M. d. 

was the son of Thomas Cobb, Esr[. , who married Lydia, the 
eldest daughter of James Leonard. He vv^as a graduate of 
Harvard University in 1766, and for many years a practicing 
Physician in Taunton. He was a member of the Provincial 
Congress m 1775, and for several years during the Revolution- 
ary War, "belonged to the military family of Gen. Washing- 
ton." He was appointed "Major General of MiUtia in the Old 

Thomas Leonard "a physician." If so, he was contemporary with Doc- 
tor Deane, and united in his person almost as many professions as Mr . 
Danforth. 

* Probably tlierc were one or more clerks prior to Wilbore, but the 
state of the Records do not permit us to discover their names. 

t There is a chaste but beautiful monument erected to his memory, 
on "the Plain," with this brief inscription: '-Jones Godfrey, died Dec. 
11, 1831, aged 61." 

X This was in that period of our history, when men, not professed 
lawyers, were honored with the appointment of Judge, and bore the ti- 
tle of " common sense Judges." Taunton, in the preceding century, 
abounded in tliese '• common sense Judges," whilst it has given to the 
Commonwealth the present century, others, who by their legal attain- 
ments, as well as their good '• common sense," have adorned their place 
on the Bench, as Avell as at the Bar. 



^'^-:^^-> 





DAVID COBB. 237 



Colony " at the close of the war, and at the same time perform- 
ed tLe duties of Judge. It was whilst he sustained these two 
offices, that at the time of the Shay's rehellion, which reached 
this section, ho made his way to the Court IlOusq, in the face 
of an angry mob, uttering the memorable words: — "I will 
either sit as Judge, or die as General." lie was a representa- 
tive in Congress from 1793 to 1795; a member of the Senate 
and House of Representatives in Massachusetts* — President 
of the former and Speaker of the latter — a member of the Ex- 
ecutive Council, and Lieutenant Governor of the State in 1809. 
Doctor Cobb, who was also General, Judge, and Lieutenant 
Governor, married Eleanor Bradish, and had the following 
children : Thomas, William, Eunice, Eleanor, Betsey, David, 
Sally, Eben Bradish, Henry Jackson, and David George Wash- 
inoton. Eunice married Hon. Samuel S. AYilde, a native of 
Taunton, a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1789, and for a 
long course of years, a distinguished Judge of the Supreme 
Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Another dauirhter married 
John Black, Esrj[., of Ellsworth, Me., a prominent citizen of 
that place. David George Washington married Abby, daugh- 
ter of Hon. Samuel Crocker of Taunton. Bev. Josiah Crock- 
er, and Hon. Bol)Grt Treat Paine, both of Taunton, married 
sisters of Gen. Cobb. The residence of Hon. David Cobb was 
west of "the Green," near the present situation of Hon. Sam- 
uel L. Crocker. He died, according to the record on the mon- 
ument at "the Plain," April 17, 1830, having been born Sep- 
tember 14, 1748. His wife, Eleanor, died January 7, 1808, 
ao'cd CI. 

o 

* It was tlirough the influence and interest of Gen. Cobb, an Act of 
Incorporation Avas obtained for the Bristol Academy in this place in 
1792. the Commonwealth at the same time granting tlie Institution '"a 
township of six miles square in the District of Maine." Rev. Simeon 
Doggctt, the first Principal, 0])encd the Academy with an admirable 
address, on the 18th of July, 1796. The address was printed, a copy of 
which I have in my possession. The Institution, now venerable for age, 
is in a state of unsurpassed prosperity under the direction of Mr. Henry 
B. Wheelwright, a graduate of Harvard Uisiversity, with several highly 
accomplished assistants. 



238 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



Hon. William Baylies, m. d., 

was the son of Nicholas, who married Elizabeth Park of New- 
ton, Mass. Their 8on William graduated at Harvard Univer- 
sity in 17G0, and having studied with Dr. Tobey of New-Bed- 
ford, entered upon the practice of his profession in Taunton, 
where, although subsequently taking up his abode in Dighton, 
he continued his practice, with tlie exception of a few years 
which he spent upon the Bench, to the time of his death, whicli 
occurred in 1826. He married Bathsheba, daughter of Hon. 
Samuel White, who was eminent in the profession of law, and 
the first, probably, who pursued it as a regular practitioner in 
Taunton. They had sons, viz : Hon. William Baylies of West 
Bridgewater, Hon. Francis Baylies of Taunton, Samuel White 
Baylies, Esq., who studied law with Grov. Sullivan, pursued his 
profession in Dighton, and died single. Their daughter Eliza- 
beth, married Hon. Samuel Crocker of Taunton. Three chil- 
dren died in infancy. Doctor Baylies, during his residence in 
Taunton, occupied the house, originally owned and occupied by 
his father-in-law, Hon. Samuel White. 

There were some others who proljably practiced medicine in 
Taunton during the professional career of Doctors Godfrey, 
Cobb, and Baylies. 

In the Burial place, half a mile south of the Weir, on the 
Dighton road, are to be found the following inscriptions, which 
have been transcribed by Mr. E. H. Beed : 

"In memory of Doct. Micali Pratt, died Decbr ye 31st, a. 
D. 1758, in ye 67th year of his age." 

"In memory of Mary ye wife of Doct. Micah Pratt, died 
April ye 2Gth a. d. 1702 in ye 80th year of her age." 

"In memory of Doct. Micah Pratt, died Octo' ye oth A. D. 
17G5 in ye -llth year of his age." 

"Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Sarah, widow of Doct. Mi- 
cah Pratt. She died Jan. 26th a. d. 1805, in the 83d year of 
her n!2;e." 

"In memory of Mercy, ye daughter of Micah Pratt k, Sarah 
his wife, died Nov. 16, 1747, in ye 2d year of her age." 



BAYLIES. 



m'kixstry. 239 



" Abi, daiigliter of Doct. Micah Pratt. She died Oct. 24, 
1773. 8 years." 

From wliicb inscriptions I infer that there were probably two 
physicians by the name of Pratt, father and son, who practiced 
in Taunton not far from the middle of the last century. 

There is another inscription in the Burial place on "the 
Plain," also transcribed by Mr. Reed, which is as follows: 

"Here lies ye body of Samuel Caswel, m. d., who died Aug. 
ye 13th 1755. iEtatis Sua? 35. 

In Seventeen Hundred & Fifty-Five 
Kelentless Death Did us Deprive 
of a vci'v Useful Life 
to Neighbor, Friend, to Child & Wife. 
He safely Did. Administer 
as a Physieian, 

Consulting more his patients' health, 
Than all extorted gain. 
We that do love his memory 
Would like him live, yt when we die 
We may enjoy felicity." 
"Samuel, son of Samuel Caswel, m. d., & Mary his wife 
died July 17, 1753 aged (illegible) wanting five days." 

Doct. Caswel therefore is to be regarded as contemporary 
with the Doctors Pratt. He died early, and all we know of 
him is recorded upon the stone "erected to his memory." 

Doctor McKinstry 

was a member of the medical profession in town during the last 
century. He was a Scotchman by birth, and a person, (if we 
may rely upon traditional accounts) of highly respectable per- 
sonal and professional character. He built and occupied a 
house on the site of the present Wheaton house, next to the 
Episcopal Church, where Rev. Mr. Judson, and afterwards 
James Sproat, Esq., lived. 

The following records are found in the Burial place on the 
Plain. 

"William, son of M. D. William McKinstry, and Priscilla, 



240 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



his wife departed tliis life on ye day of liis Lirtb, Dec. 18, 

1761." 

"In memory of John, son of M. D. ^Yilliam McKinstry, & 
of Priscilk, his Avifc, died Dec. 21, 17G8, in ye 5th year of his 

age." 

"Here lies ye body of Mrs. Elizabeth McKinstry, basely 
murthered by a Xegro Boy, June ye 4th 1763, aged 28." 

The "base murder" of Doctor McKinstry's sister Elizabeth 
is a tragical event in the history of the town which has not yet 
ceased to be talked about by the aged people of the place. 

Doctor Ephraim Otis, 

a graduate of Harvard University, in 1756, located in Taunton 
as a Physician. I do not know that there are any traces of the 
family now in town. He removed from Taunton to Scituate. 

Job Godfrey, Esq., remembers to have heard of a Doctor 
Macomber also, although he is not sure that he was a regularly 
educated member of the profession. 

Doctor Foster^ Swift 

practiced as a Physician i-n Taunton the earlier part of the pres- 
ent century. He was the son of a lawyer in Boston, and in- 
herited a good degree of wit and humor. He was brought up 
in the famous apothecary shop of Doctor Joseph Gardner in 
Boston. He married a Delano, of Nantucket, and first settled 
in Dartmouth. On coming to Taunton, late in the last century, 



* Doctor Swift was very intimate with Jolm Foster, when that ec- 
centric and erratic member' of the clerical profession first came to town. 
Whether it was the name or the man which attracted the Doctor, I 
liave never heard. But for some reason the intimacy suddenly ceased, 
and the Doctor drew up a list of seventeen charges against the personal 
and ministerial character of his former friend. The proceedings at the 
time of trial, (which was of course ecclesiastical.) are described by those 
who remember them, as most amusing. The Doctor found his antag- 
onist too powerful for him, and entirely failed in convicting a man, 
whose subsequent career would lead us to think that even seventeen 
charges were not an extravagant number to prefer against him. 



LEONARD. BAYLIES. DAWES. 241 

lie opened an apothecary's sliop* opposite the north-west corner 
of the Green, not far from the present Wihnarth estate. Hav- 
ing pursned liis profession for a scries of years, he left town, 
and took up his residence in Boston, where he was honored with 
the appointment of United States Hospital Surgeon, in which 
situation he died. 

Doctor George Leonard, 

son of Samuel Leonard, Esq.,t of Taunton, succeeded to the 
practice of Doctor Swift in 1806. He is now the oldest medi- 
cal practitioner in town. He married a daughter of Judge 
Fales. 

Doctor Alfred Baylies 

son of Thomas, and nephew of Doctor William Baylies of 
Dighton, commenced practice in 1811. His first wife was a 
daughter of James Sproat, Esq. 

Dr. Ehenezer Dawes 

entered upon the profession not far from the same time. He 
married Sarah, the widow of Oliver Shepard. 

Beside these, there are at present pursuing the profession in 
Taunton, Doctors Barrows, King, Harris, Dean, Pratt, Hub- 
hard, Adams, Bachelder, Bowen, Howe, Dickinson, Nichols. 

There may be others, whose names have escaped our notice. 

* The first apothecary shop ever opened in town was JMr. Daniel 
Brewers, who came to Taunton from Danhury, Conn., in 1785, Avas 
once a minister, but subsequently embraced the views of Robert Sande- 
man, aud witli some others commenced a meetino: of that description in 
toAvn not for from that time. My authority for the above statement is 
Hon. Francis Baylies. 

t Samuel Leonard, Esq., was a distingnished citizen of the to-\vn, in 
the last century. He is described on the slab wliich marks the place of 
his burial, as an " enterprisino; merchant." He died in 1807. One of 
liis dauglitei'S, Mary B.. married Thomas Bush. Besides the Doctor, 
two other sons are living. John B. Hopkins Leonard resides in Provi- 
dence. Ezekiel B. Leonard lives in Taunton. The old " Leonard 
Place" is in '• Hopewell" — magnificent in its ruins. 

21 



242 THE MI^< Y OF TAUXTOX. 



Secondly, The Profe.': of Law. 

This has been ably i\ ented in Taunton for more than one 
hundred years. 

Hon. Samuel White, 

a native of Braintree was probably the first Barrister at law, 
residino- in the town of Taunton. lie o-raduated at Harvard 
University in 1731,* and located in Taunton as a lawyer, about 
the time the courts began to be held there, that is, in 1745. 
He was a great grandson of Thomas AYhite, early at Weymouth, 
whose son Joseph married September 19, 1660, Lydia Rogers, 
and was father of Samuel, born February 14, 1666, who mar- 
ried Ann Bingley, and was father c^^ Hon. Samuel, born in 
1710, and who died March 20, 1769, being in his 59th year. 
Anna, sister of Hon. Samuel White, was the first wife of Wil- 
liam Wilde, whose only child, Daniel Wilde, married Anna 
Sumner, and was the father of Hon. Samuel S. Wilde, till re- 
cently on the Bench of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. 

Hon. Samuel White had the honor of presiding over the 
House of Representatives, during the period of the Stamp Act. 
It was the circular signed by him as Speaker of the House, 
which called together the first Congress that assembled at New- 
York in October, 1765. He may be considered therefore as 
one of the men, who exerted an important influence in the in- 
cipient steps toward the Revolution. The house which he built 
and occupied is yet standing, called the Bowen house, on the 
old road to the Weir. The following inscription is to be found 
on the monument which marks the place of his burial on ' ' the 
Plain:" 

* There were graduates of Harvard by the name of Samuel "White 
ill 1740, and '41, but in consideration of the date of his birth, I have 
chosen to consider 1731 the true time of his graduation. 



THE PROFESSION OF LAW. 2-13 

*' In memory 

of 

The lion. Samuel White, Esq., 

Colonel 

01 

a foot regiment of Militia, 

Barrister at law, 

and 

Memher of the lion, his Majesty's Council, 

who 

having Leen often delegated to the office of government, 

faithfully served his God, his King, and his Country, 

and exhibiting thro' an unspotted course of life, 
the virtues of the patriot, the friend & the christian, 
fell asleep in Jesus 
March 20, mdcclxix, 
in the lix. 
year of his ago. 
This humhle stone, small tribute of tlieir praise. 
Lamented shade! thy weeping offspring raise. 
Oh! while their footsteps haunt ye hallowed shrine. 
May each fair branch shoot fertile as ye vine. 
Not with thy dust, be here thy virtue's tomb, 
But brightening still, each grace transplanted bloom ; 
Sire, sons and daughters share a like renown. 
Applauding angels, a celestial crown. "^ 



'* 



Hon. Robert Treat Paine, ll. d., 

deserves to be named next, as one of the Taunton lawyers. He 
was not a native of Taunton, but early removed hither, and oc- 

* l^Jadam Prudence Wliitc, widoW of Hon. Samuel White, lies buried 
by]>.issi(le. The followinu' trilmte to her meip.ory is appended: "In 
early life, she v,-as a lirni believer in the Christian reliuion, and lived in 
the 'practice of its precepts. By her amiable disposition, she secured 
tlje esteem of all that knew lier." Witli a conscience pure, and a con- 
stitution rendered excellent by temperance, and regularity, she reached 
the ninctv-eio-hth year of her age, and relying on the mercy of her God, 
she calmly fell asleep in Jesus, June viii.^ Anno Domini 1808." 



244 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

cupied the house east of "the Green," ^Yhich was afterwards 
the residence of Judge Fales, and more recently has been 
known as the Washington Hotel, on the site of which huilding, 
now in ruins, is soon to be erected a Banking House. 

Graduated at Harvard University in 1749, Mr. Paine com- 
menced the practice of law in this town, and became sufficiently 
eminent in his profession, to receive the appointment of At- 
torney General of the State, and subserjueutly that of Judge of 
the Supreme Court of the State. But it is the fact of his elec- 
tion as delegate to the Congress which published the " Declara- 
tion of American Independence," which renders his name illus- 
trious and immortal. His wife was Sarah, sister of Hon. David 
Cobb of Taunton. They had eight children, four sons, and four 
dauohters. Three of the sous, Bobert Treat, Thomas and 
Charles, graduated at Harvard University and were educated for 
the Bar. Bobert died in 1798 of the yellow fever, and Thomas 
took his name. The latter distinguislied himself as a Poet, and 
writer for the Stage. He died in 1811, and his writings as 
Bobert Treat Paine, Jr., were published by Joshua Belcher in 
1812, in a volume of nearly five hundred pages. Charles was 
the father of Charles C. Paine, Esq., of Boston, who married 
a daughter of Hon. Charles Jackson, Judge of the Supreme 
Court from 1813 to 1824. Antoinette Paine married Dea. 
Samuel Greele of Boston. Another daughter, Mtiry, married 
Bev. Elisha Clapp, also of Boston. The honorary degree of 
LL. D. was conferred upon Mr. Paine by his alma mater, in 
1805. His death occurred in 1814. Contemporary with Bob- 
ert Treat Paine, was another, whoso name is not unknown to 
fame — 

Hon. Daniel Leonard. 

He was the only child of Col. Ephraim Leonard, (by his first 
wife, Judith Perkins,) and was born in Norton, now Mansfield, 
in 1740. He graduated at Harvard University in 17G0, and 
married, for his first wife, Anna, daughter of Hon. Samuel 
White. His second wife was Sarah Hammock. He was an 



LEOXARD. 245 



eminent man in his profession. He took a lively interest in 
political matters, wrote much for the press, first espousing the 
cause of his country, and strongly advocating Republican prin- 
ciples, but afterwards, as some one has said, through the influ- 
ence of Grov. Hutchinson, becoming as decided a loyalist. Ar- 
ticles which he published in 1774 and '75, in a Boston paper, 
called " Draper's paper," defending the measures of the King, 
the Ministry and tlie Parliament, were pronounced the most 
plausible and ingenious defence made on cither side of tlie 
water, and elicited a reply from John Adams in another paper 
under the si<>;nature of "Novanolus." 

The sentiments of Mr. Leonard made him so unpopular in 
Taunton that he was obliged to leave the town and seek shelter 
in Boston. The house that he occupied is still standing next 
to the Court House, afterward the residence of Judge Padel- 
ford, and in it are to be detected marks of bullets with which 
the enraged multitude assailed it. He proceeded to Halifax in 
1776, thence to England, where he received the appointment of 
Chief Justice of Bermuda. Having discharged the duties of 
this office for several years, he returned to London, and died 
there in 1829, at the advanced age of eighty-nine. He left no 
children, but four grandchildren, the children of his daughter 
Sanih, who married John Stewart, Esc[., a captain in the Brit- 
ish army and afterwards collector of the Port of Bermuda. 
These grandchildren, Mr. Baylies supposes, to be now living. 
One of them, Leonard Stewart, is a somewhat eminent physi- 
cian in London. The eldest son, Duncan, on the death of an 
uncle, succeeded to a Lairdship in Scotland. A daughter, Em- 
ily, married a captain in the service of the East India Company. 
The other daughter, Sarah, married a Winslow, a descendant of 
Edward Winslow, an early Governor of Plymouth Colony, 
and was connected with Lord Lyndhurst, as private Secretary 
during his Chancellorship. 
21* 



246 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Hon. Seth Paddford,'^ ll. d. 

was a native of Taunton, son of John and Jemima Padelford. 
He was graduated at Yale College in 1770, and honored 
with the Degree of ll. d., from Brown University in 1798. 
He married Rebecca, the daughter of Abraham Dennis, and 
sister of the wife of James Sproat, Esr[. 

Their children were as follows : 

Mary Dennis, who married Mason Shaw, Esq., of Raynham ; 
t Sarah Kerby, who married Nathaniel, son of Judge Fales ; 
Melinda, who married Enoch Brown, E^q., of Abington ; John, 
who died whilst a member of Brown University ; % Nancy, who 
married Samuel Edgar, son of Col. John Cooke, of Tiverton, 
B. I. ; Harry, who married Susan, daughter of Robert Cross- 
man, of Taunton ; Rebecca Dennis, who married John Gr. Deane 
Esq., of Portland. There were also five other children who 
died young. 

Mr. Padelford was Judge of Probate. He died Jan. 7th, 
1810, aged 58 years and one month. 

Some friend has caused this tribute to his memory, to be in- 
scribed on the stone which covers his remains : 

" For he was wise to know, and warm to praise, and strenu- 
ous to transcribe in human life the Mind Almighty." 

Hon. Samuel Fcdes 

was a native of Bristol, Rhode Island — the son of Nathaniel 

^ I find the name recorded on the catalogue of Yale College, as Pad- 
dlcford. I have adopted the ortliography Avhich prevails in the fomily. 

t This daughter published in 1834 '-Familiar Letters" on subjects in- 
teresting to the minds and hearts of females, which exhibit a mind of 
uncommon excellence, and declare her to be equalled by few in the ease 
and elegance of her epistolary writings. She is at present associated 
with a daughter in the charge of a Female Seminary in Germantown, 
Pennsylvania. 

X Mrs. Cooke died October 25, 1817, aged 01. She is buried near her 
father. I transcribe the following memorial of her from the inscription 
on the stone : " Her loss was irreparable to eight surviving babes. And 
only in the conviction that her heart was renovated by the Holy Spirit, 
can her surviving friends find consolation. 

Thro' nature's wreck — thro' vanquished agonies, 
^yhat gleams of joy ! What more than human peace !" 



SAMUEL FALES. 247 



and Sarali Falcs — a graduate of Harvard University, in 1773. 
He married Sarab, daughter of Col. John Cooke, of Tiverton, 
Rhode Island. Their children vrerc as follows : 

Nathaniel, who married Sarah K. dau. of Jud!>;e Padolford. 

Sally, who married Nathaniel Hazzard, of Newport. 

Eliza, who married Dr. George Leonard, of Taunton. 

Samuel, who married Sally, dau. of John West, of Taunton. 

Harriet L., who married Hon. James L. Hodges of Taunton. 

John, who died single ; Almira, who married Samuel Niles 
Potter, of Rhode Island ; Fanny, who married Rev. Swan L. 
Pomroy, now Secretary of the American Board of Commis- 
sioners for Foreign Missions, Boston. Edward, who died sin- 
gle ; Ann, who married (1) Samuel Learned, (2) Cutter, 

hoth of Bangor, Me. There were five others who died early in 
life. 

Mr. Fales was for many years Clerk of the Courts, and at 
length appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. 
He was succeeded in the office of Clerk, by his eldest son, Na- 
thaniel. 

Judge Fales* died in Boston, Jan. 20, 1818, aged sixty-eight 
years. He was buried in Taunton, where you may find the 
following; record concerning; him., on " the Plain :" 

" Useful and honorable activity distinguished the progress of 
his life. Having sustained for many years various important 
offices in the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive departments 
of the Government, with fidelity and honor, he died while at- 
tending his duties as a Councillor of this Commonwealth ; and 

* I have just received from Isaac P. Davis, Esq., a letter sent by 
Samuel Tales to Judge Davis, in 1816, containing the Inscription on 
Miss Poole's monument, and the following note : " I observed to you in 
Boston that this monument ^vus erected on a small knoll, between the 
Green and the Meeting-house, a little distance from the road. A few 
years since, Dr. Swift, digging a cellar, found a part of a coffin, made 
of red cedar, under which were part of tlie bones, skull and hair of a 
human body, unconsumcd by time, all which were carefully collected, 
and removed to the common burying ground, north of the Green, over 
which the stone was placed, bearing the Inscription transcribed for you. 
The monument is of slate, and was procured by ye late R. T. Paine, 
Esq., as agent for J. Borland, Esq." 



248 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



tbough his tedious toils and hoary hairs seemed to demand a 
more peaceful succession of closing years, his friends are re- 
signed and consoled in the hope of his resurrection to immortal 
ble.ssedness." 

Mrs. Sally, consort of Judge Fales, died Sept. 24, 1823, 
aged fifty-eight years. It is said of her : " Among the benev- 
olent and liberal she ever shone conspicuous. The Christian 
spirit enlightened the path of her mortal pilgrimage, and at last 
sustained and bless'd her with its holy peace and inspiring 
hopes." 

James Sproat, Esq., 

was the son of Ebenezer Sproat of Middleboro*, who left seven 
children. James was born in 1758, Dec. 7th, and settled in 
Taunton. 

He married Ann, daughter of Abraham Dennis — sister of 
the wife of Judge Padelford. Their children were as follows : 

Rebecca Dennis, who married Alfred Baylies, m. d., of Taun- 
ton ; Sarah, who died young ; * Frances, who is yet living and 
resides in Taunton ; Emily Ann, who died early ; Ann Dennis, 
who married George B. Atwood, Esq., of Taunton; James, 
who married (1) Eliza Ann, daughter of George Baylies, (2) 
Lucretia, daughter of James Tisdale ; William Alexis Frederic, 
who married Abby, daughter of Jonathan Ingell ; Clarissa, 
who died early ; Henry, who married Priscilla J., daughter of 
Jesse Smith ; Adeline, who married Samuel B. Harris, of 
Smithfield, B. I. ; Ellen, who died early ; Theophilus Parsons, 
who married Mary A., daughter of Harry Baylies, of Dighton. 

James Sproat, the father of the above, was a man of ready 
wit, and the most amusing mivthfulness. A single illustration, 
occurring in his professional life must sufiice : David L. Barnes, 
Esq., was once addressing the Jury, when he had occasion to 
quote the following passage from Scripture, the address of Satan 

* I have understood that this daughter of Mr. Sproat was ^ne of the 
Originators of i\\Q first Sabbath School in Taunton, of Avhich Institution 
I hope to give a more particular account in a subsequent part of the 
volume. 



I 



SPROAT. 249 

to the Lord : " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he 
give for his life," adding in his ignorance of authorities, " saith 
our Savior." Sproat, in an instant, was on his feet, and turn- 
ing to the Court, said, "He may be brother Barnes' Savior, 
but he is not mine." 

The personal appearance of Mr. Sproat is said to have been 
very fine. There is a miniature likeness of him in the posses- 
sion of one of the children, which has been unfortunately so far 
defaced, as to render an engraviag for this work impracticable. 

Mr. Sproat was uncommonly favored in his w4fe. She was a 
highly intellectual and accomplished woman. Her "Family 
Lectures," and various poetical works for children, which are 
now out of print, riciily deserve a re-publication, that they may 
be as serviceable to the youth of this generation, as they were 
forty years ago to our fathers. In the preface to a copy of the 
" Family Lectures," printed in Boston by Samuel T. Armstrong 
in 1819, I find the following account of the origin of the " Lec- 
tures." " It has been my practice on the Sabbath, after public 
worship, to collect my family, and after attending to the Scrip- 
tures, read them one of the following essays, previously written 
for the purpose." The subjects she selected were the following : 
"The importance of Eeligion ; Justice; Mercy; Humility; 
Temptations; Intemperance ; Profaneness ; a future life ; Truth ; 
Eetrospection ; Gratitude ; Early Religion ; View of the Divine 
Hand ; The Death of a Connexion ; Family discord ; Reflec- 
tions on the fail and recovery of man ; Filial duty ; The Sab- 
bath ; Reading the Scriptures ; ^Acknowledgement ; Address to 
a married daughter ; Emptiness of Earthly pursuits ; Prayer ; 
Time ; Future punishment ; Resignation to God ; Review of the 
past year ; Three natures of man ; Trust in God ; Divine Good- 
ness ; Impressive Providence ; Religion desirable ; LTnbelicf ; 
Deliverance from danger ; Death of a public teacher ; Plentiful 
season ; Death of connexions ; Advice to a nevr married couple ; 
Gaming; The prodigal son; Advice to young men." These 
subjects are considered in forty-five well written and sensible 
lectures. 



250 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 

Hon, David. Leonard Barnes, ll. d.* 

was son of Rev. David Barnes, d. d., minister of Scituatc, 
Mass., who married Eacliel, daugliter of Col. George Leonard, 
the son of 3Iajor, and Judge Leonard, an original settler and 
principal proprietor of Norton. Their son David married Jo- 
anna Ilussell, and practiced law in Taunton. lie subsequently 
removed to Rhode Island, where he received the appointment of 
District Judge of the U. S. Court during the administration of 
Jefferson. 

Nicholas Tillinghast, Esq., 

was the son of Nicholas and Mary Tillinghast of Providence. 
He received the Honorary Degree of jMaster of Arts from 
Brown University in 1793, and from Harvard University in 
1807. Mr. Tillinghast was one of the eminent lawyers of 
Taunton in the early part of the present century. He married 
Betsey, daughter of Amos Maine. Atwell, and had the following 
children : 

Fanny, who died single in 1817. 

Amos, wlio married Miss Jerould of Pawtucket. 

Mary, who married Paschal Allen of Warren. 

Susan, who died sing-lo. 

Joanna, who married Hon. Silas Shepard, of Taunton. 

Elizabeth, who died sin2;le. 

Nicholas, who married (1) Sophia, daughter of Rev. Mr. 
Ritchie, of Ncedham ; (2) Ruby Potter of Dartmouth. 

William, who died single. 



* I have ventured to attach this title to Judge Barnes, (altliouu'h I do 
not find it in the usual autlioritiesj on the autliority of the following 
excellent legal anecdote in favor of short pleas, "which I received from 
Judge Morton. An important ease Avhich had been long and ably ar- 
gued b}- an ingenious and learned counsel of tlie opposite side, was onee 
committed to the Jury by Xicliolas Tillinghast, Esq., in this uncommon- 
ly brief, but conclusive style : " Gentlemen of the Jury : Doctor Padel- 
ford says as you liave heard, and Doctor Barnes Si.ys as you have heard, 
but Doctor Mansfield says as you shall now hear," — at the same time 
proceeding to read a single convincing contradictory statement from the 
noble Lord, '• now when Doctors disagree, wlio shall decide 7" The Ju- 
ry gave him their verdict. 




^ 



^^^^^'t^.c^ a,-^/^^?^-^^^:^ 



WILLIAMS. MORTON. 251 

Joseph, who married Cornelia xYrmington, of Pawtueket. 

Ruth Phillips. 

Mr. Tilliiighast was Lorn Jan. 24, 17G7, and died xipril 24, 
1818. His wife Betsey, was born Oct. 18, 1770, and died 
March 19, 1834. They arc buried on " the Plain." 

Their son Nicholas, is Principal of the Normal School, a 
State Institution, at Bridge water. 

Hon. John 3Iason Williams, ll. d. 

the son of Brigadier General James Williams, graduated at 
Brown University in 1801, and commenced the practice of law 
in New-Bedford. He afterward located in Taunton, where he 
received the appointment of Judge of tlie Court of Common 
Pleas, of which Court he was Chief Justice for many years. 
Chief Justice Williams received the honorary degree of ll. d. 
from Brown University in 1843, from Harvard University in 
1845. He now resides in Boston. 

He married Eliza Otis, daughter of Hon. Lemuel Williams.* 

Their children were : 

Elizabeth, who married Hon. Horatio Pratt of Taunton. 

Maria, who married Dr. Wm. A. Gordon, of New-Bedford. 

Joseph Otis, who married Emily, daughter of Dr. Keenan of 
Lynnfield. 

Two others died early. 

The son practices law in Boston. Dr. Gordon for several 
years was located as a physician in Taunton. His father suc- 
ceeded him, and died a year or two since. 

ITon. 3farciis Morton, ll. d. 

was born in Freetown, in 1784, the son of Nathaniel, who mar- 
ried Mary Cary of Bridgewater. Mr. Morton graduated at 
Brown University in 1804, and commenced the practice of law 
in Taunton, in 1807. He represented the District in which he 

* Hon. Leimicl Williams was the first Representative to Congress 
from his Cou<;ressional District. 



252 THE MIXISTllY OF TAUXTOX. 

lived, in Congress four years ; has occui^ied a seat on the Bench 
of the Supreme Court of the State fifteen yeai-^ and has been 
thrice Governor of the Commonwealth. Once, in consequence 
of the death of Gov. Eustis in 1825, the duties cf the Chief 
3Iagistrate devolved upon him as Lieutenant Governor. Again 
in 1840, and fur the third time in 1843, he was invested with 
the highest office in the Commonwealth. He has also acted as 
Collector of the port of Boston four years. He received the 
Honorary 'degree of ll.d. from Brown University in 1826, and 
again from Harvard University in 1840. Gov. Morton married, 
in 1807, Charlotte, daughter of James Hodges of Taunton. 
They have had the following children : 

Maria, who married William T. Ilawes, of New-Bedford, a 
graduate of Brown University. 

Lydia Mason, who married Rev. Henry Lee, d.d., fonnerly 
of Springfield, now of Rochester, N. Y. 

Charlotte, w^ho married Samuel Watson, Esq., of Nashville, 
Tennessee. 

Sarah Cary, who married Willard Levering, a manufactui'er 
in Taunton. 

Marcus, who married AljLy, daughter of George Hoppin, of 
Providence. 

Nathaniel, who married Harriet, only child of Hon. Francis 
Baylies. 

James, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Hon. George 
Ashmun, of Springfield. 

Frances Wood, who married Charles Henry French of An- 
dover. 

Susan Tillinghast and Emily Matilda. Two died young. 

Tlu'ee sons have graduated at Brown L^niversity — Marcus in 
1838, Nathaniel in 1840 and James in 1843. The last two 
with the highest honors of the class. 

Hon. Francis Baylies, 

the son of William Baylies, m.d., and grandson of the Hon. 
Samuel White, the first Taunton lawyer, was born October 16, 



BAYLIES. BASSETT. 253 

1784, and commenced the practice of law in Taunton in 1810. 
He officiated as Register of Probate, (an office which his fiither 
filled before him,) seven years. He has been a Member of 
Congress six years, and during the administration of General 
Jackson, he received the appointment of a mission to Buenos 
Ayres. It is more particularly as a historian Mr. Baylies has 
distino-uished himself. He is the well known author of the 
" Memoir of Plymouth Colony, in four parts and two volumes," 
besides many other historical and biographical articles, which 
have appeared either by themselves or in the leading publica- 
tions of the day. He has one of the finest private libraries in 
the town or county, and an immense amount of Mss. on hand, 
touching the history of England and America which has never 
yet seen the light. There are probably few living, more inti- 
mately acquainted with the antiquities of this country than 
Mr. Baylies. 

He married Elizabeth, widow of David Dagget Deming, Esq., 
of Xew-York city, daughter of Howard Moulton, Esq., of Troy, 
N. Y., and sister-in-law of General John Ellis Wool. Their 
only child is Harriet, born May 4, 1823, who married Nathaniel, 
son of Hon. Marcus 3Iorton, Sept. 29, 1846. 

jinselm Bassett, Esq., 

son of Thomas and Lydia Bassett, of Rochester, Mass., was 
born in 1784, and graduated at Brown University in 1803. 
He has practiced law in Taunton many .years, and held the 
office, till recently, of Register of Probate. He married (1) 
Rosalinda, daughter of Abraham Holmes of Rochester, Mass. 
(2) widow Lucy Smith of Troy, N. Y. 

Three of their children are still living ; two daughters, Cyn- 
thia and Elizabeth, and a son, Charles, who married (1) Erne- 
line, daughter of John W. Seabury of Taunton, (2) Nancy L. 
Gibbs of Bridgewater, (3) Martha B. French of Pawtucket. 

The son is Cashier of the Taunton Bank. 

In addition to those who have been named, are others who 
22 



254 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

for a limited time pursued their profession in town, and should 
be briefly noticed. Such are Henry Goodwin, afterward At- 
torney General of Rhode Island ; Welcome A., son of Tristam 
Burgess ; Pliny Merrick, now Judge of the Court of Common 
Pleas; H. G. 0. Colby, once Judge of the Court of Common 
Pleas, for some years District Attorney ; George T. Davis, 
Member of Congress from the western part of the State ; The- 
ophilus Parsons, Professor of Law, at Cambridge. Judge 
Wilde was born* in Taunton, fitted for College with Rev. Mr. 
Judson, and after graduating at Dartmouth College in 1789, 
entered the office of eJudge Barnes, and prepared himself for 
the practice of his profession in Maine, under the patronage, and 
with the warm friendship of Gen. Knox, where he received, 
during the administration of Gov. Strong, the appointment of 
Judge of the Supreme Court of this State, which office he held 
for an unusual length of time, and with the unabated respect 
and esteem of the Bar, and all other members of community. 
Seth Padelford Staples, an eminent lawyer of New-Haven and 
afterward of New-York, was also a native of Taunton. 

The names of the members of the legal profession now prac- 
ticing in town, so far as known to me, are as follows : Sydney 
Williams, son-in-law of President Messer; Henry Williams, 
who has once represented this District in Congress, and is now 
Register of Probate ; Horatio Pratt, son-in-law of Judge Wil- 
liams, w^ho has been a member of the Massachusetts Senate, and 
is at present District Attorney ; James Sproat, son of James, 
and Clerk of the Courts ; William A. F. Sproat, also son of 
James Sproat ; Nathaniel Morton, son of Judge Morton, and 
son-in-law of Hon. Francis Baylies ; Chester Isham Reed, son 
of William Reed of Taunton, and Judge of the Police Court ; 
Edmund H. Bennett, son of Judge Bennett of Vermont ; Jo- 
seph Padelford Deaue, son of Joseph G. Deane, Esq., of Port- 
land, and grandson of Judge Padelford; James P. Ellis, son of 

* The house in which the .Tudpfe was born is yet standing: in the west 
part of the town, on the road to Oakland, nearly OT)posite the Episcopal 
glebe. 



DANFORTIl'S LETTERS IN 1705. 255 

James Ellis, Esc|.,t wlio is County Treasurer, Town Clerk and 
Assistant Justice of the Police Court ; Horatio L. Danfortb, a 
descendant of the fourth Taunton minister, and till recently 
High Sheriff of the County ; Baalis Sanford ; Samuel R. Town- 
send; John D. Austin.* 

Note B. Paoe 184. 

In Lillie's Historical Collections, relating to remarkable peri- 
ods of the success of the Gospel, published in Glasgow in 1754, 
(pp. 281-82) we find the notice of a season of unusual relig- 
ious interest in Taunton during the years 1704 and 1705. It 
is a reprint of what was originally published in 1743 in Prince's 
Christian History — a History " publish'd weekly," and " con- 

t James Ellis. Esq., should be noticed in our account of Taunton law- 
yers. He was born in Franklin, Conn., May 2-3, 1769, and Avas son of 
Rev. John Ellis, a Chaplain in the Kevolution, afterwards Pastor of the 
Congregational Church in Seekonk, (then Kchoboth.) James Ellis was 
a graduate of Brown University, in 1791, studied law in Providence 
with Judge Howell, and in Taunton with Judge Padelford. He opened 
an office in Rehoboth, (now Seekonk) where he had an extensive and 
lucrative practice. He was thrice chosen Senator from this County, 
previous to 1820 : when he received the appointment of County Attor- 
ney, which occasioned his removal to Taunton, and which office he re- 
tained until the State was districted. Mr. Ellis married Martha, daugh- 
ter of Joseph Bridghani of Seekonk, and sister of the late Hon. Samuel 
W. Bridgham of Providence. Their children were John, George, Hor- 
ace, James P. Martha B., and Samuel B. 

George Ellis resides in Madison County, New- York, and married So- 
phia Morse ; James P. Ellis resides in Taunton, and married Caroline 
S., daughter of John Presbrey ; Martha, the only daughter, a young 
lady of uncommon promise, died in Taunton, Xov. 24, 1828, agecl 20 ; 
Samuel B., the youngest son, who Avas at that time a member of Dai-t- 
mouth College, but, through grief at the loss of his sister, was led to 
abandon the idea of a professional life, is sup]:)Osed to be somewhere at 
the West ; John and Horace are not living. The father still surviA-es, 
infirm and feeble, near the scene of his early life and labors in Seekonk. 

^ The preceding notice of the members of the IMedical and Legal 
Professions must necessarily be A^ery incomplete. There may be many 
important omissions, AAdiich a lenient community Avill OA-erlook. I only 
hope, that some one who has time and talents for it, Avill undertake to 
Avrite the history of these professions in tOAvn and do them more ample 
justice. If the imperfection of the preceding scanty sketch should lead 
to such a result, it Avill not have been in vain. It Avas judged not inap- 
propriate to illustrate this note by the portraits of a few of the indiA^idu- 
als to Avhom allusion has been made. 



256 THE MIXISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

taining accounts of the propagation and revival of religion in 
Eno;land, Scotland and America." After noticino; a revival of 
religion in New-England in 1680, " a second instance of some 
revival of religion in this country about the year 1705," is re- 
marked upon, " which I find," says the compiler of the account, 
" in a hook printed at London in 1706, entitled, a help to Na- 
tional Reformation, and in three manuscript letters of the Rev. 
^' Mr. Samuel Danforth of Taunton, a worthy son of the Rev. 
Mr. Danforth of Roxbury." A passage in the above named- 
printed book, to which the writer refers, is as follov/s : "A gen- 
tleman writes from New-England, in his letter of the 20th of 
November, 1705 : To gratify your desires to know what pro- 
gress we make here in cur Societies, I make bold to add a line 
or two to certify, that in Boston the societies for suppressing 
disorders (of which mention was made in my former letters) are 
upheld, and two other societies of the same nature erected. xVU 
which are spirited to be active, according to their abilities and 
inSuence, to promote virtue and discountenance and suppress 
vice. And not only in Boston are such good things done and 
doing, but in man}'" places in the Province besides. Omitting 
many other things that might be enumerated as to other places, 
I shall sum up in short an account of what hath been done in a 
town called Taunton, through the rich mercy of God. The 

Rev. Mr. * minister there, having seen some printed 

accounts of the methods for reformation in Old England, in im- 
itation thereof (after earnest prayers to God for success) obtain- 
ed of several inhabitants of the place (that w^ere noted for sobri- 
ety and zeal against sin) to meet with him once in each month, 
to consult what might be done to promote a reformation of dis- 
orders there. And after a day improved in fasting and prayer 
together, they first attempted to induce the Heads of families to 
set up family w^orship ; and God gave them great success ; so 
that most of the families in the large towns hearkened to their 
exhortations and reproofs, and set upon the practice of family 
prayer morning and evening ; every day having heard and read 
* The Rev. Mr. Samuel Danforth. 



danforth's letters in 1705. 257 



some accounts of the religious societies of young men in Lon- 
don, they were encouraged to endeavor the like among them. 
And beyond their expectation, (God working with them) pre- 
vailed with the greatest part of the youth, to form themselves 
into societies for religious exercises, signing some good rules to 
be observed by them therein, much like the orders of the soci- 
eties of young men in London. The good effect whereof was, 
the putting an end to and utter banishment of their former dis- 
orderly and profane meetings, to drink, &c., and to the great 
grief of godly minds." 

The three manuscript letters* from the Rev. Mr. Danforth 
of Taunton are these : 

" Taunton, Feb. 20th, 1704-5.t 
Sir: — 

We are much encouraged by an unusual & amazing 
Impression, made by God's Spirit on all sorts among us, espe- 
cially on the young men & women. Its almost incredible how 
many visit me with discoveries of the extreme distress of mind 
they are in about their Spiritual condition. And the .young 
Men instead of their merry meetings are now forming themselves 
into regular meetings for Prayer, repetition of Sermons, signing 
the same order, which I obtained some years ago a copy of from 
the Youno- Mens Meetinoj in the north of Boston. Some awful 
Deaths & amazing Providences have concur'd with the word 
preached to this good effect. The profanest among us seemed 
startled at the sudden change upon the rising generation. "VVe 
need much prayer, that these Strivings of tlie Spirit may have 
a saving issue & effect. Our family meetings are more and 
more frequented. And two more family meetings setting up at 
two remote corners of our large Town, where we dispaired of 
seeing any. Our last Society which was yesterday had almost 
nothing to do, only to express their joy to each other, that the 
disorderly concourse of youth was now over. We are both, 

* I have no means of determining; to whom these letters were direct- 
ed, but have supposed it probable, that Rev. Thomas Prince was the 
person, he having made use of them in the preparation of his narrative. 

t For reason of double dating, see page 185 of this volume. 

22* 



258 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Church & all Inhabitants to renew the covenant for refonnation* 
this Week, which this people made with God the last Philip In- 
dian War. We agreed to turn our next Society Meeting into a 
fast also, for special reasons ; one of which was that we find 
prayer our best weapon to reform vice, & the Devils kingdom 
cant stand before it ; also as worldly men, when they find the 
world comes hovering in upon them, will pull the harder for 
it ; which should make us pray more earnestly & fervently : 
having had encoui'agement so far, that when we can do nothing 
else but stretch om- withered hands in Grods work, Yet even do- 
ing of that shall not be in vain. Some Kemarkables in the 
progress of our reformation work, I shall not commit to wi'iting, 
at present ; but if common fame do not bring them to you, shall 
reserve them to be discovered by word of mouth. The Lord be 
with you all, Amen. 

Yours inthely, S. D. 

* GoA'. Morton has loaned me a manuscript book, which once belong- 
ed to Mr. Asa Danforth, containing among other things this " Cove- 
nant for reformation, first engaged in the year 1676, and a second time 
renewed by the Inhabitants of Taunton, IMarch 1, 1704-5." It cannot 
fail to interest those who may read these letters of Mr. Danforth. 

" We the Inhabitants of Taunton, haA'ing a sense of the great dis- 
pleasure of GOD against this whole land by stirring up the Heathen 
against us, and sending many other calamities upon us, Knowing that 
our Sins are the procuring cause of all these troubles, Do enter into 
solemn engagement (the LORD helping us by His grace, for of our- 
selves we have no siifiBciency) to endeavour according to our several ca- 
pacities, that there may be a real amendment and reformation in our- 
selves and those on whom we may have an influence, of those sins which 
are judged to have great influence in all the troubles of the land, such 
as general barrenness under the means of Grace, Neglect and contempt 
of the Gospel, Neutrality in Religion, Profanation of GOD'S holy Sab- 
bath, indecent behaviour in the public worship of GOD, Decay of the 
power of Godliness, Contempt of the Magistracy and Ministry, Pride, 
Covetousness, Unrighteousness, Profaneness, Incorrigibleness under the 
Word of GOD, and under His rod. Abuse of GOD'S Mercies by Intem- 
perance and other fruits of the flesh : Also, Idleness, neglect of Family 
Prayer, Unnecessary frequenting houses of Public Entertainment, Prom- 
ise breaking and walking with Slanderers and reproachers of one anoth- 
er. 

Acknowledging and Judging ourselves before the Lord that we have 
been any way accessory by participation or commission to any of these 
or other prevailing Sins of the Age and place wherein we Ua'C, beseech- 
ing the Lord to give us sincere repentance and remission of all our sins 



danforth's letters in 1705. 259 



Taimton, March bth, 1704-5. 

Sir:— . 

It was ca most comfortable Day, the first of March, when 
we renewed the Reformation Covenant, of which I suppose you 
have a Copy by you already ; only we added an engagement to 
reform idleness, unnecessary frequenting Houses of Public en- 
tertainment, irreverent behaviour in public Worship, Neglect of 
family prayer, Promise breaking & walking with slanderers, & 
Reproachers of others & that we should all in our families be 
subject to good orders & Governments. It was read to the 
brethren & sisters in the forenoon, they standing up as an out- 
ward sign of their inward consent to the rest of the inhabitants. 
In the afternoon, they standing up also when it was read, 8c 
then every one that stood up, brought his name ready writ in a 
paper & put it into the box that it might be put on Church 
Record. The forenoon text was, Hebrews 12 : 4, about resist- 
ing and striving against Sin, the common enemy of us all. The 
afternoon text was, 2 Chron. 29 : 10. We give liberty to all 
men & women kind, from sixteen years old & upwards to act 
with us : & had three Hundred Names given in to list under 
Christ against the sins of the times. The whole acted with such 
gravity & tears of good affection, as wou ld affect an heart of 

through the Blood of Christ, Do now Engage by GOD'S help to en- 
deavour a suppression of open vice in ourselves and others, accordmg 
to our capacities, and that our houses shall not be houses of resort for 
unlawful tippling or other disorders, And that the true Worship of GOD 
as practised bv His people and owned of GOD in this Wilderness shall 
be upheld and maintained, and all within our families made subject to 
good order and government. Beseeching the LORD to enable us to keep 
that which is gone out of our mouth this day, that He may be our GOD, 
and may give us a place in His Tabernacle, and may do good to us and 
our Land." 

All from 16 years old and upwards were invited to give their assent to 
this Covenant, and the outward sign of consent was by standing up 
while it was read, and then they gave in their names in writing into the 
Deacons Box, that they may be transcribed by the Pastor and affixed to 
the Covenant. Three hundred names Avere given in the first day. And 
it is read to others publicly on Sabbath days, when they can come forth 
to meeting. And some yield their assent to it in like solemn manner at 
family meetings, that cannot conveniently come at present to the Public 
Meeting House ; and none to be omitted thi-ough the Town, but must 
be put upon it to say whether they will consent or dissent. 



260 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Stone. Parents weeping for Joy seeing their children give their 
Names to Christ. And we had several children of the church in 
Neighhouring Towns who came & joined with us in it. We have 
a Hundred more that will yet bind themselves in the Coveoant, 
that were then detained from meeting. Let God have the glory. 
Yesterday fourteen were propounded to the Church, some for 
full Communion, others for Baptism, being adult Persons. All 
this calls for Prayer & humble walking with Grod, & hope in 
his mercy. 

Yours, S. D. 
Taunton, March 20th, 1704-5. 
Sir: — 

I have now yours, and have sent you two Letters this 
week. I have little to add and no time to Enlarge, but my 
time is spent in daily discourse with the young People, Visiting 
me with their doubts, fears & Agonies. Eeligion flourishes to 
Amazement and Admiration, that so we should be at once 
touched with Soul affliction, and this in all corners of the place, 
and that our late conversions should be attended with more than 
usual degrees of horror, and Satan permitted to wrestle with 
them by Extraordinary temptations and assaults and hours of 
Darkness. But I hope the deeper the wound the more sound 
may be the cure. I have little time to think of worldly mat- 
ters, scarce time to study sermons as I used to do. But find 
God can bless mean preparations when ever He pleases, that 
such shall be most cryed up and Commended which I have had 
scarce time to methodise. I think some times that the time of 
the pouring out of the Spirit upon all Flesh may be at the Door. 
Lets be earnest in prayer that Christ's Kingdom may come, and 
that being an Instrument of good to others, I may not be my- 
self cast away. 

Yours, S. D. 

Note C. Page 184. 

"When, a few weeks since, the He'd. Isaac P. Davis of Bos- 
ton informed me that he had found among the papers of his 



DANFOllTil'S LETTER IN 1720. 261 



deceased brother, the late Judge Davis, a manuscript letter of 
Eev. Mr. Danforth of Taunton to Eev. Cotton Mather of Bos- 
ton, it was an announcement no less welcome than it was un- 
expected. The MS. is now, through the kindness of Mr. Davis, 
in my possession* It is very plainly written, and is in all re- 
snects highly creditable to its Reverend author. It is directed 
" to the Reverend*Doctor Cotton Mather, in Boston, to be com- 
municated to the Reverend Ministers in Boston." 

Taunton, Aug. 8, 1720. 
Much Hoxoked and Reverend Fathers and Brethren, 

It is a singular favor of Heaven to our land, that the honor- 
ed and reverend Ministers of Boston, as well by their influence 
on particular gentlemen that were of a public spirit, and by 
their influence on the several Churches under their pastoral 
care, and by their interceding with those whom GrOD had placed 
over the land in civil power, as well as by their own personal 
exemplary bounty, have procured support to such as have 
preached the Gospel in the dark corners of our Province ; and 
by their personal visits, as well as also by their written letters 
and sermons preached by them, some of which have been print- 
ed anj gratis bestowed on them, have abundantly testified their 
sincere desires of the gospelizing those towns of Freetown, Tiv- 
erton, Dartmouth, and Nantucket; which towns being within 
the bounds of our Province, if this Province do not take care 
for their enjojanent of Gospel light and privileges, who will or 
can? "We have reason also to be thankful to God, that the 
General Court, representing the whole body politic, have done 
considerably by their bounty out of the public treasury, as also 
by renewed acts and orders from year to year, for the bringing 
order into those towns, and for encouraging the preaching of 
the Gospel in them; and the Justices of Peace, in their stations, 
and in their public sessions, have from time to time acted laud- 
ably for the countenancing and promoting this good work. ^Ye 

* It has also been in the hands of the Publishing Committee of the 
Mass. His. Society, and forms a part of the 1st vol. of the 4th series of 
then- " Collections," just issued from the press. 



262 THE MINISTRY OP TAUXTON. 

have also cause to take notice of the 2;ood hand of our God 
workina; with us, in findino- out and-inclinino; the hearts of some 
worthy men to engage in the work of Christ in those difficult 
places: particularly that the Reverend Mr. Ci^^ghead hath 
with heroical courage and patience so long conlhiued in his post 
at Freetown ; that the lleverend Mr. Hunt hath adventured to 
settle in one corner of Dartmouth ; that Barrington hath made 
so much progress towards good order, and held out so long in 
supporting the preaching of the word among them, without help 
from others ; and that others have been willing to take their 
turns, and to preach the Gospel for a time at Tiverton and Nan- 
tucket; that a Church is gathered in Dartmouth, and a Pastor 
ordained; that a small Church was formed in Freetown, though 
it is now weakened by the removal of some of its members into 
other towns. It is also our comfort that prayers are put up to 
God for the success of this work by pious men throughout the 
Province, wliose incjuiries from time to time how this work goes 
forward show how much they delight [in] and are refreshed by 
the progress of it : and doubtless these prayers will be heard 
and answered in God's time. 

That we have met with obstructions and disappointments in 
pursuing this Avork, is no more than was expected by those who 
set it on foot ; and God sees it needful it should be so, to main- 
tain in us a daily sense of our sins which expose us to the 
frowns of Heaven even when we are enirao-ed in most laudable 
enterprises; and to maintain in us an entire dependence on our 
Lord Jesus Christ for success in our essays for the enlargement 
of the bounds of His vineyard on earth ; finding by our own 
experience that all our projections and essays of accomplishing 
any thing that is for the glory of God and the good of the souls 
of men will avail nothing, till the Lord Himself appear in His 
glory for the building up of ZioH, and be pleased to work with 
us; and therefore to His name alone must be given the glory of 
every successful step taken in forwarding this His temple-work. 

If any such thought should arise that we have taken pains 
enough already, and may now content ourselves with what hath 



DANFORTIl'S LETTER IN 1720. 263 

been clone, and may now sit still and wait God's time for the 
settling the Gospel ministry and ordinances in those plantations ; 
I humbly offer this thought in opposition to the former: that we 
have hitherto been waiting on God in the use of means, which 
did quiet our spirits, and our waiting was of the right sort. 
But can that be thought to be an acceptable waiting on God 
which gives over and ceases from the diligent use of means for 
obtaining the end desired? If we cannot think of other means 
and methods besides those we have made use of alread}^, yet I 
hope we are capable of continuing a while longer in the use of 
the same means and methods which have been hitherto used. 
The Province cannot say that the disbursements out of the pub- 
lic treasury for the promoting this work have impoverished the 
public. The Christian assemblies that contributed to this work 
have no reason to think that they fare the worse for making that 
offerino; to the Lord. While this work hath been eno-ao-ed in, 
we have enjoyed a considerable measure of health in our land, 
a considerable degree of peace in the civil state and in our 
churches ; the heathens have been restrained from making in- 
sults on our frontiers ; the earth has of late more plentifully 
yielded its increase to us; God hath wonderfully preserved the 
life of his IMajesty, our sovereign lord, King George, to reign 
» over us, whose reign hath hitherto been very comfortable to all 
true Protestants; and under him we have been favored with 
Governors (or chief leaders) , one after another, who have coun- 
tenanced us in our enjoyment of Gospel privileges; and at this 
present time have cause to bless God for our present Governor 
in chief,* who doth not discourage or weaken our religious in- 
terests, but under his administration such whose hearts are en- 
gaged for the promotion and propagation of religion are not 
made the underlings of the people, b[ut allowed to] use all law- 
ful endeavors for promoting learning and religion, without being 
frowned [upon or] brow-beaten for their pains. 

I make bold to add, that the difficulty of gospelizing th[e 

* Samuel Shutc, Esq., vrho amved in 1714, and left the Province in 
1723. 



264 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

above] towns hath been of service, to make the government 
very careful that all new towns shall be provided with Gospel 
ministers at their first settlement. And though it hath exercis- 
ed our patience to observe the slow progress of religion in these 
few dark corners of our land, yet God hath refreshed our spir- 
its in the mean time by observing the great additions made to 
o[ur] churches, yea the multiplication of churches in our land, 
proportionably to the ener[gy] of the people. And as every 
stroke of Noah in building the Ark had a voice in it, so every 
step taken for the advancement of religion in these towns above 
mentioned is doctrinal to the observers of them. The young 
generation hath occasion given them to consider, what meaneth 
the often travelling of preachers to Tiverton and the other des- 
titute towns? What moves the best sort of men in the land to 
be so forward to contribute to and promote this work, and that 
for such an ignorant and ill-bred people that will not give them 
thanks for it'i This leads them to think of the worth of the 
souls of men, and of the need of a Gospel ministry to help for- 
ward the salvation of men's souls ; and that, were it not for 
Gospel light, ministry, and ordinances, the towns we live in 
would soon become as ignorant, erroneous and vicious as those 
destitute towns now are. 

We expect no other but Satan will show his rage against us 
for our endeavors to lessen his kingdom of darkness. He hath 
grievously afflicted me (by God's permission) by infatuating or 
bewitching three or four who live in a corner of my parish with 
Quaker notions, [who] now hold a separate meeting by them- 
selves; 3"et such is God's great mercy that the rest of the ris- 
[ing] generation do not fall in with their notions, but are be- 
coming more studious to know the principles of true religion, 
and to arm themselves against false doctrine ; and have set up 
eight 3'oung men's meeti[ngs] for religious exercises, which are 
upheld with good warm affection and seriousness. And having 
intelligence that great sums of money are distributed at New- 
port, at their ann[iver]sary Quaker meeting, which comes year- 
ly from England, to which they add what they collect at their 



danforth's letter in 1720. 265 



quarterly meetings, for the rewarding their itinerant false 
teachers ; it moves the people to be more forward than formerly 
for the upholding the true worship of God ; and should convince 
us all of the great need there is to continue our care and en- 
deavors to plant the Grospel and sound doctrine in these desti- 
tute towns, that are our frontiers, bordering upon or near to the 
place where Satan hath his throne, whence he sends forth his 
emissaries to make invasions on and inroads into our Province. 
Should not all ranks of men in the land in their several stations 
unite their forces, in resisting and opposing Satan, and weaken- 
in o- his kino-dom of darkness and errors? I hope the reverend 
ministers in Boston, seeing they live in the metropolis of the 
land, where the General Courts are held, will once more take 
the pains [to] represent to the General Court at their next ses- 
sions the present need there is of passing such acts and orders 
as in their wisdom they judge sufficient, to encourage the con- 
tinuance of the preaching of the Gospel in Freetown, Tiverton, 
Dartmouth, and Nantucket. Will not the adversaries of sound 
doctrine triumph, if we should give over this work ? Will it 
not give them too much occasion to reproach the religion and 
doctrine which we profess ? Will they not insinuate into men 
that we were in doubt whether our cause was good, else would 
not have deserted it? Will our Lord Jesus Christ take it well 
if we should faint, and despond, and cease from His work; and 
rebuke us, saying, ye of little faith, wherefore did ye doubt 
of my presence with you, and my helping hand to support and 
succeed you in my work : and seeing I have by my Providence 
put these few destitute towns under the care of your Province, 
you must not neglect any means to prevent their perishing for 
want of vision. 

What proposals arc to be laid before the General Court in 
reference to each of those forenamed particular towns, I pre- 
sume that yourselves do already know better than I do ; or may 
easily know, by inquiring of such who favor sound doctrine in 
each of those places. 

But having taken some pains with myself, to set my dull and 
23 



266 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

weakened spirits on work to indite this epistle, which I intend- 
ed not to have been so long by half as it is, it is time for me to 
beg your pardon for my prolixity, and your prayers for me and 
mine, and to subscribe myself 

Your most humble servant, and unworthy fellow- laborer in 

Christ's vineyard, 

Samuel Danforth. 
[The following is added as a postscript : — ] 
Since this letter was writ, a woman desires to partake with 
our church, who hath been in the country about three years, in 
Taunton about one year. She hath partook, as she saith, with 
the Church of England in London; but has no certificate of it 
from London. I conclude nothing will be objected against her 
conversation ; lier knowledo-e in the fundamentals of reli«2;ion is 
competent, her discourse serious ; but of the difference between 
Conformity and Non-conformity she understands but little, only 
has observed that we use not the sign of the cross in baptism, 
and kneel not at the Lord's Supper; and finds no fault with 
our churches on those accounts. I desire advice what answer 
to make to her, and what to say to my church concerning her. 

Yours, 

S. D. 
Note D. Page 184. 

The MS. Lecture of Rev. Mr. Danforth is called a" Taunton 
Lecture," and is dated " Dec. 4, 1707." It is founded on 
" Isaiah 20 : 11, — Lord, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will 
not see ; but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at 
the people ; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them." 
It takes the form of an Exposition — and its chirography is 
painfully obscure. There is such a marked contrast between 
the legibility of the Lecture and the Letter, that whereas the 
latter was " to be communicated to the Heverend ministers in 
Boston," it is quite as obvious that the former was not to be 
communicated either to them or to anybody else. I have in 
vain brought some portions of it beneath the inspection of a 
magnifying glass, and have concluded to leave the whole on the 



DAXFORTH ON CHURCH MUSIC. 267 

same shelf witli the wi'Iting of the " Dighton Rock," as speci- 
mens of the Hieroglyphic art, for some future Champolion to 
decipher, interpret, and transmit to the ages to come. 

Note E. Page 184. 

The "Essay on Singing," was the joint production of the 
Taunton minister, his brother the Rev. John Danforth of Dor- 
chester, and Eev. Peter Thacher of Milton. It treats of an 
important subject in the proper manner, and proves that the 
fourth minister of Taunton was not only a minister, lawyer and 
doctor, but a very good judge of singing. The Essay composes 
a part of a small duodecimo in the Library of the Massachusetts 
Historical Society, which the Librarian assured me was worth 
an hundred dollars. It contains, in addition to " John Cotton's 
sermon preached in 1G36 in Salem," but not printed till 1713 
in Boston — several other articles on the subject of Church 
Music. For example, " An Essay to silence the outcry that 
has been made in some places against regular singing ; in a ser- 
mon preach'd at Framingham, by Mr. Josiah Dwight, in 1725." 
Also, " The reasonableness of regular singing or singing by 
note, in an Essay to revive the true and ancient mode of sing- 
ing Psalm Tunes, according to the pattern in our New-England 
Psalm books, the knowledge and practice of which is greatly'' 
decay'd in our congregations — writ by a minister of the Gos- 
pel," whom some one in the margin has ventured to call Thom- 
as Symmes, d.d., " Perused by several ministers in the town 
and country, and published with approbation of all who have 
read it, in 1720." Also, "Utile dulci, or a Joco-serious dia- 
logue concerning regular singing, calculated for a particular 
place where it was publicly had on Oct. 12, 1722, but may 
serve some other places in the same climate. By Tho's Symmes 
Philo:Musicus. Of all beasts there is none, saith ^Elian, that 
is not delighted with harmony but onlj the ass." Published in 
1723, and recommended by Tho's Blower of Beverly, Samuel 
Woodbury of York, John Rogers of Boxford, John Tufts of 



268 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Newbury, Thomas Foxcroft of Boston. Also, " a letter on the 
same subject to the elders and brethren of the Baptist churches 
in Bhode Island, Narahogansit, Providence, Swansey and 
branches dependent, in places adjacent, by Valentine Wight- 
man of Groton," — and finally " a sermon preach'd at the Lec- 
ture held in Boston, by the Society for promoting regular sing- 
ing and for reforming the depravations and debasements our 
Psalmody labors under, in order to introduce the proper and 
true old way of singing — Inscribed to Paul Dudley, Esq., — 
Published at desire of ministers who heard it, in 1722." From 
all which I infer that the subject of Sacred Music at that time 
was a topic of general interest and much discussion. It is grat- 
ifying to know that the minister of Taunton was a strenuous 
advocate of the best style of Church Music. 



AN ESSAY 

Preached by Several Ministers of the Gospel 

For 

The Satisfaction of their Pious and 

Consciencious Brethren, as to 

SUNDRY QUESTIONS and 

Cases of Conscience, 

Concerning 

The Singing of Psalms, 

In the Publick Worship of God, under the present Evan= 

gelical Constitution of the Church-State. 

Offered to their Consideration in the Lord. 



Printed at the Desire of Honorable, Reverend and Wor- 
thy Persons ; to whom it was Communicated, in a Ven- 
erable Council of Churches, January 30, 1722-3. 



2 Cor. 13. 8, &c. We can do nothing against the Truth, hut 
for the Truth. — We are glad when we ' are weak and ye are 
strong : and this also we wish, even your perfection. There- 
fore we write these thino-s. 



BOSTON: 

Printed by S. Kneeland for S. G-errisJi, and Sold at his 
Shop in Corn Hill. 1723. 

23* 



Cases of Conscience 

About Singing of Psalms, 

Briefly Considered and Eesolv'd. 

Question 1. 

Whether you do believe, that Singing of Psahns, Hims and 
Spiritual Songs, is an External Part of Divine Publick Wor- 
ship to be Observed in and by the Assembly of God's People 
on the Lord's Days, as well as on other occasional Meetings of 
the Saints for the Worshipping of God ? 

Ansiver : 

The Ninety-fifth Psalm, which has a special Reference to Gos- 
pel-Times and Worship, begins with a Command to Sing unto 
the Lord. It was approved and practised by the Son of God, 
our Great Example, and by His Apostles ; it was one of the 
Last Parts of Worship, that he joined with them in, before his 
Death, and wherewith He closed the Administration of the 
Lord's Supper, (Mat. 26. 30.) His Institution whereof is to 
be observed by all His Churches to the End of the World ; and 
that on the First Day of the Week, Acts 20. 7. The Duty of 
the Singing of Psalms, the Apostle Paul Exhorts the Saints in 
Sundry Churches to practice, Eph. 5. 18, 19. Col. 3. 16. 
And Paul and Silas practised this Worship of God together, 
Acts 16. 25. And Singing of Psalms has been generally ac- 
knowledged by all the true Churches of Christ in all Ages as a 



272 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

part of Instituted Worship : and the sweet and Harmonious 
Modulation of many Voices of God's Holy Worshippers togeth- 
er, in singing of God's solemn Praises, doth admirably help to 
excite and raise their affections in the holy Worship of God. 
And when the great Reformers had translated the Psalms into 
the several Languages of sundry Nations, and turned them 
into Metre, and People Sang them in grave and solemn Tunes, 
it greatly helped to Propagate the holy Protestant Religion, and 
did spread it wonderfully, and mightily promoted the Refforma- 
tion : and God has vouchsafed to His Saints, much sweet com- 
munion with Himself in their Public as well as Private Sinoino' 
of His Praises. These and other Arguments and Reasons (too 
many now to be recited) persuades us to believe that Singing 
of Psalms is an External Part of Divine Publick Worship, 
wherein we ought to Consecrate our sweet and melodious voices, 
together with our best Affections, to the Lord. 

Quest. II. Whether you do believe that Singing in the 
Worship of God ought to be performed Skilfully ? 

Ans. Undoubtedly we believe that it ought (if possible) to 
be performed Skilfully. Irregular, Jarring, Disorderly Sing- 
ing becomes not the House and Worship of God ; where He 
deserves and requires that all things be performed decently and 
in order, i Cor. 14. 40. When we have a 3Iale in our Flock, 
we should not offer unto Him, an inferiour thing, (Mai. 1. 14.) 
The best of Services becomes the Best of Beings. Unskilful 
Singing is indeed but improperly (as to the external part) call- 
ed Singing, like as a Glass-Eye, is improperly called a Man's 
Eye, when it only fills up the proper place of the Eye, without 
any power of seeing. The moral of that Divine Command in 
Psal. 33. 3, is not extinguished by the Gospel Dispensation, 
but binds us in these Days. The words in the Hebrew Text, viz : 
(Heitaibu nagen hith rugna) are translated into Latin by the 
Learned and Accurate Arius Montanus, ' ' Benefacite Modulan- 
do in Juhilatione :''^ that is, perform well, in Singing rightly, 
Skilfully, dexterously. Keeping time, number, and measure ; 
aptly, with a sweet, tuneable, musical voice ; pleasantly, in 



DAXFORTII ON CHURCH MUSIC. 273 



your Rejoicing and Jubilizing ; Sing skilfully, and witli sweet 
modulation of voice. 

Quest. III. Whether you believe that Skilfiilness in Singing 
may ordinarily be gained in the Use of outward means, by the 
Blessing of God 'I 

Ans. We believe it may, by most Persons. Skilfulness in 
Singing Psalms is an Acquired Grift : and many Thousands 
have attained it, by the Divine Blessing on their Beading and 
Hearing; of the Bules of Sino-ino;, and mindino- & Conformino; 
to the Voices of good Singers, and to their manner of Singing. 
Some have a natural Genius for it, more than Others ; and some 
have a natural sweetness and strength of Voice above others : 
yet are there but few so deaf, dumb, weak & dull, as to be ut- 
terly unable to form variety of Sounds, and to distinguish of 
Tones and Tunes, and so to be incapacitated to receive Instruc- 
tion for the musical and melodious Sinoins; of Psalms. From 
the lowest and grummest sound of the Voice there are but three 
Septenarys or Classes of the gradual regular Ascents and Ele- 
vations of Voice ; and not one Voice to a thousand but (falling 
within the Compass of some one of these Classes or Septenarys) 
may be brought to make sundry degrees of Ascent or Elevation 
therein ; which is called the Baising of some Notes of Musick. 
We can meet with no voices of Men, Women or Children, but 
either they have the shrillness of the Treble ; the hoarseness, 
grumncss & lowness of the Bass ; or are of the middling scant- 
lino; of the Medius, or the Tenor. The Ascents of the Voice 
in the three Classes or Septenarys (called Keys or Cliffs) are 
in each of them so few and so parallel one to another, and har- 
monious, as that they may be quickly learned and distinguished. 
A Man will soon find, (v/hich is admirable to observe) that in 
trying to raise his Voice in each Septenary gradually ascending, 
there will be just the same proportion of difference of sound of 
the third from the second, as of the second from the first and 
lowest sound of the A^oice ; but that the fourth step of Ascent 
will be but just half so much and so from the fifth to the sixth ; 
but the other distances of Ascent are Whole and Equal and 
this is soon Learned. 



274 THE MIXISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

And the proper Icngtb of Time for tlie continuance of the 
sound of every Syllal^le in a Psalm-Tune is learned presently. 
The Fundamental Rules and Grounds of all Musick are but few, 
and all of them, Mathematically certain, and are for all Ages 
and Nations. And altho', as to the particular Tunes, the Vari- 
ation is Wonderful ; yet there's no English Psalm-Tune but 
may be soon Learned by such as have a good Instructor, and 
will bend their Minds to Learn and Practice it. 

But tho' Singing is an acquired Gift, attained by learning the 
Rules, & by the help of an Artist in Musick ; Yet 'tis supream- 
ly of and from the Lord God. To Sino; well is God's o-ood g-ift. 
Every good gift is from the Father of Lights. This good Gift 
of God given to David, made him to become the Sweet Singer 
of Israel. He that has a good tuneable Voice, a good Musical 
Ear, and a Genius for Musick, has them from the Lord, and 
ought not to let those good Talents lie by Unimproved : They 
are to be faithfully and diligently Cultivated and Advanced and 
employed for the Glory of God, and Edification of a Man's self 
and others. 

God bestows these choice Talents on Young Persons as well 
as on Elder Persons ; and Persons in their Youth do learn the 
Art of Musick, with greater ease and speed than such as are 
Aged ; and therefore should be encouraged to learn it while 
they are Young; and having obtained this Gift of God, by 
God's blessing on their industry and instructions, they are to be 
Allowed and Encouraged to Exercise it peaceably in Publick 
Assemblies, and thereby may be beneficial to others who may 
follow them in Singing of Psalms, to the Praise and Glory of 
God. 

Quest. IV. Do you believe that it is Lawful and Laudable 
for L^s to Change the Customary way of Singing, for a more 
Uniform and Regular Way of Singing of Psalms ? 

Ans. Forasmuch as in our late Customary Way of Singing, 
we have degenerated from the Right and Established Rules of 
Musical Singing ; And many Congregations have Sung near 
one-thu'd too long, and some syllables have been Quavering, as 



DANFORTH ON CHURCH MUSIC. 275 

in the singing of Mass ; and in their Singing have borrowed and 
taken, some half a line, some a whole line, out of one tune and 
put it into another; and the singing of the same pretended 
Tunes in one Cono-reo-ation, hath not been alike to the sino-ino; 
of them in another, and several Singers in the same Congrega- 
tion have differed one from another in the turns and flourishes 
of the Tune which they have sung, and have been too discor- 
dant ; and sometimes He that hath set the Tune has been forced 
to sing two or three lines, before the generality of the Congre- 
gation could know what Tune was set, so as to fall in with it : 
Nor are the Musical Counterparts set to the Tunes, as we sing 
the said Tunes, in the late Customary way, to make the Melody 
most Harmonious ; And because Almighty Grod infinitely de- 
serves that His Praises should be sung by Us in the best \Yay 
of Grave, Sweet, Heartravishing, and Uniform Singing in all 
our Churches, with joyful Lips. Therefore we believe that it 
is Lawful and Laudable for Us to change the late customary way 
of Singing for a more Uniform and Regular way : And we are 
far from believing that those Reverend J^Iinisters, who have 
some of -them in Print, others in their Sermons, and by their 
Practice, approved of Singing Regularly, and Recommended to 
the Churches a Reformation of their Psalmody by the proper 
Rules of Musick,. we say, that we are far from believing tliat 
they are endeavoring to bring in any superstitious Ceremonies 
into the Churches, which our Fore-fathers came into this Wil- 
derness to avoid : for we know them to be Pillars in our Church- 
es and Chief Defenders of our Fathers way of Worship against 
Humane Inventions and Superstitions. Nor dare we be so Un- 
charitable to the Holy Churches of Boston, Roxbury, Dorches- 
ter, Cambridge, Taunton, Bridgewater, Chariestown, Ipswich, 
Newbury, Andover, Bradford, and other Places, who (we are 
told) Sing by Rule and Art, the hip;h praises of God, as to 
suppose and say that they are in the least, inclining to Super- 
stition ; for then we should be guilty of wrongfully condemning, 
and so of ofFanding the Generation of the Righteous : and cer- 
tainly in Sniging, and Worshipping of God thereby, Decently, 



276 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 

and in Oi-der, and most Skilfully and Melodiously, according to 
the Rule of Grod's Holy Word, they are to be imitated, rather 
than condemned for it : and we ought to be as willing to receive 
Light from them, as to afford Light to them in any case what- 
soever : especially in things referring to Divine Worship. 

Quest. V. Do you believe that 'tis Lawful, and according to 
the Rules of God's Holy Word, that the Aged in the Churches 
should in their Age submit to be turned out of their Old Way 
of Singing of Psalms, to gratify the Younger Greneration ? 

Ans. In yielding to the Regular way of Singing, we yield 
not to Men, but to God, the Author of all Regularity in Mu- 
sick, and of all Decency and Order, who has commanded (as 
we observed before) that all things in His House be done de- 
cently & in Order. To the Younger People, who are Regular 
Singers, we therefore say, we do in this matter of Singing not 
yield unto You, but to God. The Younger Generation being 
the Majority for Numbers, and having clearest and strongest 
Organs of Voice for Singing, will prevail in carrying on the 
Musick in Singing of Psalms, every where from Generation to 
Generation ; and the Elder and stronger in Grace are not to be 
offended at them for so doins;. We that arc strons: oue-ht to 
bear with it, and with them ; & not be all for exalting and 
pleasing of ourselves, (Rom. 15. 1, 2. Rom. 12. 16.) and 
herein should condescend to them of low degree. 

But withal, the Young Generation, such of them as can Sing 
Regularly, should be very Humble towards God & Men, and 
very Thankful to God ; Avoiding all self-admiration, self-exal- 
tation, vain ostentation and boasting, and all vile despisings of 
others; And should testify their thankfulness to God, for the gift 
of artful and orderly Singing, bestowed upon them by their Modest 
& Respectful carriage to their Fathers in Age, who are less able 
to Sing, & less capable of learning to sing Regularly and Har- 
moniously : tho', more able to sing Spiritually, and with Heav- 
enly Understanding : and by no means should the Younger 
despise, deride, or speak contemptibly of the Elder. Nor should 
the Elder oppose the bringing of Regular Singing into our 



DANFORTII OX CHURCH MUSIC. 277 



Cono-egations out of Averseness unto tlio gratification of tlie 
Younger. The time is now come, wlien & wherein Grod is af- 
fording us more & better helps for right singing of Psahns, than 
for many Years we haye had, and has stirred up many Young 
Ones to be willing to take pains to learn to sing by Rule ; and 
where we discern that the set Time is come for the work of Ref- 
ormation to go forward in any point, we ought to comply, and 
fall in with the blessed God in His Design and Work ; and if 
thro' Age and want of strength wo can't promote this Work in 
an Active way, yet we must not dare to oppose it, lest we be 
found fighters against God. 

Quest. Yi. Is it not a Sin to Condemn any grave Psalm- 
Tunes, sung in any Christian Church, or forbid any Tunes in 
our NcYv^ England Psalm-Book ; unless for a time only, till a 
sufiicient Number have learned to sing them, whom the rest 
may follow. 

Ans. What things are shilcss in themselves, and are lawfully 
used to Holy and Good Ends, cannot be condemned Lawfully 
«fc Righteously, as the Apostle Paul by inspiration abundantly 
declares unto us ; and this is the very Case of all grave Melodious 
Psalm-Tunes, that are sung to the Glory of God in His Churches. 
Quest. VII. Whether those who purposely sing a Tune differ- 
ent from that which is appointed by the Pastor or Elder to be 
suno', are not guilty of acting disorderly, and of taking God's 
name in vain also, by disturbing the Order of the Sanctuary ? 

Ans. The Holy Ghost having made Regular Pastors and 
Elders, the Overseers of the Churches, and the Teaching & 
Ordering of God's House, under the Great Lord of the Churcli 
belonging to them, (it being committed to them by the Lord,) 
such certainly act disorderly, and contemn the Authority of the 
Son of God, which those over them in the Lord, are invested 
withal, who when they order one Tune to be sung, will purpose- 
ly sing another : and wilfully disturb the harmony of the Chui'ch 
in the Worship of God in singing, is a Prophanation. 

Quest. VIII. Whether the Non-Communicants have any pow- 
er or privilege of Voting about Singing in the Church, or may 
24 



278 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

overthrow the Vote of the Church by their Major Vote '■ is it 
not sufEcierit for them to oive in their Reasons, to be woiohed 
by Church or Council? 

Ans. By our Platform of Church Discipline in New-England 
the Privileo;e of Yotinp; with the Eldershin, is confined to the 
Fraternit}'- of the Churcli who are in full Communion and Par- 
take of the Lord's Table ; and 'tis our Wisdom and Interest to 
adhere to the fundamentals of our Conf>;reo;ational Establish- 
mont, according to the Word of God, and not to overthrow 
them. 

Quest. IX. As for our longsome, Undulating, quavering, un- 
certain way of Singing, wherein we have taken some Notes of 
the Medius, & Bass, and put them into the Treble, and have 
taken sometimes the whole or part of a Line in one Tune, & 
put it to another, and wherein the several Congregations have 
differed one from another, whether we think it pleasing to Christ 
that we should make that way and mode of Singing (that we 
have fallen into) a Necessary Term of our Communion ? 

A/is. 1. We believe there is no more holiness in one Psalm- 
Tune than another : The Grave Tunes Sung in the French and 
Geneva Churches, & among the Dutch, Swiss, the Danes, the 
Swedes, and Protestant Palatines, and tlic Grecians, and the 
Tunes called Ainsworth's Tunes (formerly Sung in Plymouth 
Colony) are not more holy than ours, nor ours than them ; we 
believe that London-New Tune, Gloucester Tune, Hackney- 
Tune, the Ten Commandments Tune, Standish-Tune, Westmins- 
ter Tune, Peterborough-Tune, and sundry other Tunes, which 
very few of our Congregations do yet Sing publickly, are as se- 
rious and solemn Tunes as those that we do Sing, in many Con- 
gregations, in a sad broken manner. To imagine that the Tunes 
we have sung of late Years (and our manner of Singing them) 
are more holy in themselves than the other Tunes, and than the 
Eegular manner of Singing them, is a Superstitious Opinion, 
and severely to be testified against. We may as well say, That our 
Meeting-House is an Holy Place, and that the Water used in 
Baptism is Holy -Water ; and the Language wherein we read our 



DAXFORTH ON CHURCH MUSIC. 279 



Bible, is an Holy Language. Whe-.i Tunes and Modes of Sing- 
ino- are in their own nature 'indifFjrent, and Lcconie Expedient 
only by Men's Choice and Use, we judge it unlawful to make 
them the neecssaiy terms of Con:munion. 

Ans. 2. We believe, that our Fore-Fathers never Separated 
from the Prelatical Church of England, because of their Psalm- 
Tunes, but retained and used the same in New-England, in their 
Publick Worship. But they found fault with the costly and 
superstitious Organs in Divine Service, as not having Warrant 
in the New-Testament Worship, which Harmonious Singing with 
the Yoice has. 

Quest. X. Do you think those Persons and Congregations 
blame worthy who have Sung Psalms in the Common and Ordi- 
nary way ? 

Ans. 1. We believe that every Man is to Sing G-od's Praises, 
as well as he can, wiihout making disturbance to others, and 
thf)se who have done so, being true Believers in Christ, have 
been accepted of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yv^e 
can't believe that every Man ought generally to sing worse than 
He can^ because every IMan is to give His best to Ood : But a 
Man who sings very Meanly and with many L-regularities, is 
accepted of Grod, vvhile he^ knows no better; but when He 
knows Ijettor, He should do better ; and when he hath means 
afforded Him, more and better than ever He had before to teach 
Him to do better, it is His duty to Improve them humbly, dili- 
gently and thankfully ; and still ^p labor to do better and better. 

Ans. 2. Via cannot but think that some of our Congregations 
have too much indulged themselves in Ignorance and Careless- 
ness ; while they have forgot, or never learned to distinguish 
one Tune from another hy its Name ; as to know which is Ox- 
ford Tune, and which is Windsor Tunc, and so the rest; and 
that therefore it is high Time, to learn to know them by their 
Names ; and that it is conducing thereunto to have the Tune 
Naiiied before hand as well as the Psalm to bo sung in it ; that 
so People may know that there is a difference between one Tune 
& another, and may come by degrees to observe &^ keep that 



280 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

difference, and may leave off being so disorderly, as to sing part 
of two or three Tunes, in singing four or eight Lines : For we 
have cause to Lg ashamed of the imperfection that has attended 
our Holy Sino;ino:s. 

Qust. xt. What Convoncince and Benefit would probably 
ensue upon it, if Mens voices were somewhat Lower'd in Sing- 
ing (when otherv»'ise very loud voices are ready to drown all 
other voices in a Congregation;) and what advantage would 
Ensue if all the Singers in a Congregation would keep time ? 

Ans. Were our Tedious Leno-th of Sing-ino; (which is contra- 
ry to the Standard or Primitive Rule, and more like t'^nQ Mass, 
than like our reformed English Musick) were it reformed and 
reduced unto the Length pointed out in the Musical Notes at 
the End of our Psalm Books; and were tliey who sing so Loud, 
as that they can hear no Bodies Voice but their own, reclaimed 
from that Absurdity, — this Great Good would follow upon it, 
That the Begular Singers, who Sing by Art, and those other 
Godly Singers who Sing after the manner they Learnt, by Imi- 
tation of others, who did not strictly keep to t]je Ilules of Arts; 
May all of 'em (of both sorts of Singers) sing together, with- 
out so much jarring, and so the Piegular way of Singing with 
an Even, Smooth and Straight Voice, and the Customary way 
of Singing wiLh a more Undulating, Uneven and Quavering 
Voice, may both with less Inconvenience be practised at once, 
and be Sung peaceably together; as has been already proved in 
some Congregations : And until People can generally Learn to 
Sing by llule and Musically, we should think it advisable, that 
such as cannot yet Sing Regularly, should Lower their [often 
too clamorous] voices, and be sure, study to keep time with 
those that Sing by Art, and then all may Sing together, and the 
Vciriety of sundry Notes (being ,such Notes as are called Con- 
cord,) would go nigh to make a pleasing Harmony: And that 
Harmony pf variety of Notes or Sounds in Concord, is the most 
solemn and ravishing Harmony in Singing of Psalms, and there- 
fore most suitable for the serious and joyful Worship of God : 
And where this course has been taken, ail sorts in the Cone-re- 



DANFORTll OX CHUIICII MUSIC. 281 

gatioii have in loss than a Twelve Months time, found them- 
selves carried into almost One Way of Singing, to their Com- 
mendatiou, Comfort and Edification. 

Quest. XII. May Persons of the Female Sex, be admitted to 
Sing in the Church? 

Ans. Undoubtedly they may and ought. The Sister of Mo- 
ses, with a vast Number of Women-Singers in the Congregation 
of Israel, sang the Praises of God in the Inspired Words of 
Moses, (Exod. 15. 1, 21.) In Judges 5. 1, we read, Then 
Sang Deborah; and in the Congregation of the Lord that came 
froiu Babylon, it's put upon Sacred Record that there were Two 
Hundred Singing Men and Singing Women. (Ezra 2, 65.) 
Tho' it seemed irksome to them to sing the Songs of the Lord 
in a strange Land, (Psalm 137. 4,) Yet they did not lose 
the Art of Singing them. At the Lord's Supper the Disciples 
with our Lord Sang an Hymn, (Mat. 26. 30.) Women were 
of the Number of those Saints, who belonged to the Primitive 
Gospel-Church, and continued in the Fellowship of the Apostles, 
in breaking of bread, that is the Lord's Supper; Singing there- 
fore belonged to* them, (Acts 1. 14, & 20. 42.) When they 
are Commanded to keep Silence in the Church, (1 Cor. 14. 
34,) They are restrained from being Authoritative Teachers, 
as the next verse shews ; but not from being Melodious Singers 
there : And how can they, which have the pleasantest Voices 
answer it to God, who gave them, if they don't improve them 
in a Musical Speaking together in Psalms and singing Spiritual 
Songs, not w^ithout Grace in their Hearts, Eph. 5. 19. Privi- 
leges are enlarged and not straitened under the Gospel ; as for 
instance, with respect to the Initial Seal of the Covenant, which 
now they have, (Acts 16. 15,) but had not under the Law; and 
'twas their Privilege to Sing Psalms under the Old Testament 
Dispensation, therefore much more under the New: It being 
still substantially Profitable, for the Glory of God and the good 
of His Handmaids, the Supreme Lawgiver of His Church has 
not thought fit to Repeal it. 

Quest. XIII. May Noncommunicants, Yea, Unconverted Per- 
24* 



282 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

sons, Old and Young, and Children also be allowed to Sing 
Psalms in our Churches ? 

Ans. Seeing Singing of Psalms is a Converting Ordinance 
as well as Edifying and Comforting, and Christ allowed Chil- 
dren to Come to Him, and Vindicated them when they Sang 
their Hosannas out of Psalm 118. 25. Therefore the Non- 
communicants, and the Unconverted, and Children also, may 
be allowed to attend this Ordinance and to join their Voices 
with the Church in Singing of Psalms, as well as Conjoin them 
in Hearing the Word Preached and in Prayers, so long as they 
behave themselves orderly and inoffensively. 

Quest. XIV. How can that Possibly be a good way of Sing- 
ing Psalms which a Considerable Number of Young People, 
so readily comj^ly with ; who (some of them) in Learning the 
Psalm Tunes, are too light and airy and vain? 

Ans. Its certainly a Good Way notwithstanding. Had not 
the New Doctrines of the Reformation from Popery, the ready 
compliance of vast multitudes of Young People, and that by 
means of their Singing the Psalms translated into their Mother 
Tongue and put into Metre ? and if some should be too vain in 
Learning the Holy Scriptures, is that a sufficient Reason for not 
Learning them? No, verily. These are trifling Objections. 

Quest. XV. If some very Good People, who understand little 
of the true Rules of Singing of Psalms, are Offended at their 
Brethren and Children's Learning of, and Practicing according 
to those true Rules, is that a sufficient Reason for opposing, or 
neglecting, the Learning of 'em and the Using of them ? 

Ans. 1. They who understand little or nothing of the true 
Rules of Singing of Psalms, should surely labour after an Un- 
derstanding, before they pretend to be judges of others, to Con- 
demn them, and take Offence at them for that which they them- 
selves cannot be the competent and lawful Judges of, except by 
the Information of others that are knowmg, since they want 
knowledge and skill themselves. 

Ans. 2. If Singing of Psalms by Rules of Music or by Note, 
is Practised, then some Godly People are offended ; But if it 



DANFORTH OX CHURCH MUSIC. 283 



be not Practised, Other Godly People are Offijnded ; and wliicb 
of These their being Offended is to be minded most : and which 
ought to be Gratified ? Ought not they to be gratify'd who 
have most Holy Scripture and Sound Reason on their side? 
and ought not they to conform to Regular Singing, who can 
easily do it, at least to follow others therein ; But only don't 
Fancy it ? Should not they strive to bring their fancy to Com- 
ply with right Reason? Must the Averseness of some Godly 
Brethren Hinder our peaceably prosecuting the necessary work 
of Reformation of our mode of Singing of Psalms? No indeed ! 
Ans. 3. Let those that take Offence, on both sides, be treat- 
ed according to the Rules of Christ the Son of God, with all 
humility, meekness, gentleness, reverence, and with persuasive 
Arguments, and let the Refformation of the way of Singing of 
Psalms be brought in gradually and Mildly if possible, and not 
with the noise of Axes and Hammers, in God's Temple. And 
let both Sides attend the Rules of Order for their Determina- 
tion, and not be too Rash and Preposterous. 

A?is. 4. Until the matter is Amicably agreed. Let not Him 
that sings the Common way judge Him that sings the Regular 
way, or by Musical Rules and Notes ; and let not Him that 
sings the Regular way judge Him that sings the Common way, 
for the Lord hath received Him, (Rom. 14. 3, 4.) Only (as 
much as possible) keep regular time in Singing one with anoth- 
er and forbear offensive loudness, in Singing : and forbear all 
provoking Language Sc Carriage in Conversation, & Love one 
another with pure Hearts fervently. 

Qifest. XVI. Is it possible for Fathers of forty years old and 
upward, to learn to Sing by Rule? and ought they to attempt 
at that Age to Learn? 

Ans. We are lately Credibly informed in Point, " that a far 
" Greater Number of People can learn to Sing, by Note or Rule, 
" than can ever learn the Common and Usual way. Many have 
" learnt to sing by Note, some upwards of Forty Years old, who 
" never could (tho' they were desirous of it) ever learn one 
•' Tune in the usual way; and by this means, many who have 



28-1 THE MINISTRY OF TAONTON. 

" SO very harsh and untuneable Voices, as that it seems next to 
" impossible for 'eui, to learn to sing one Tune, by frecjuent 
" using their voices in raising their Notes, may have 'em so al- 
** terecl as that they may be Masters of what Tunes they please." 
An Old Custom may be altered, and a new Custom and Habit 
gained by frequent tryal and practice. Custom then is no suf- 
ficient Eeason for the continuance of old Practices that need to 
be Reformed : And is our good Singing a Duty required of Us 
by Heaven ? Surely then we are Obliged to use all agreeable 
means to qualify and enable Us to do the Duty required. No 
Difficulties (at least short of impossibilities) should hinder 
Duty. 

Quest. XVII. AYhat is it to Sing in and by the Spirit? and 
how may that Grood Grift be obtained ? 

Ans. 1. In Singing m the Spirit, the Heart or Spirit of a 
Man goes with his A^oice. His Heart closes with the Truths of 
God & Praises of God, the matter that is sung; while his Ears 
close with the sweet words & sounds of Lips. His Spirit sings 
as well as his vocal Breath, (Job 4. 24.) This internal must 
join with our external singing of Psalms, or we should be but 
as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymball. Therefore blessed 
Paul would have his Spirit sing as well as pray, (1 Cor. 14. 
14, 15,) and he would sing in the Spirit, and with Understand- 
ing also. He means (as the Context there shev\^s) to the Un- 
derstanding of Others, vocally that so others might be advantag- 
ed and edified. 

Ans. 2. Singing by tlio Spirit & from the Spirit is when In- 
herent Grace, or the Principal of Spiritual Life, is the Principle 
from which we sing Psalms. It is said (in Eph. 15. 18,) Be 
ye filled with the Sijirit; Speaking to or among your selves in 
Psalms, &c., (ver. 19,) singing & making melody in your 
Hearts to the Lord : and in Col. 3. 10, In Psalms, Hymns 
and spiritual Songs, singing with Grace in your Hearts to the 
Lord. So then there must be Grace in the Heart (which is 
called the Spirit in opposition to the carnal Principle which is 
called the Flesh;) & this Grace in the heart devotes Men to 



DANFORTH ON CHURCH MUSIC. 285 

the Lord. Some sing Psalms from n, Principle of carnal Na- 
ture ; some possibly from Vice ; some from Hypocrisy ; some 
from common Grace, and an enliglitened Conscience, that re- 
ceives the AVord with Joy. But Oh! how few do sing unto the 
Lord from a saving Principle of Devotion to the Lord. Most 
Men as they Eat and Drink to themselves, and not for the Lord, 
so they Sing from themselves & to themselves ; In Singing, 
carnal self is the moving Principle they act from, and the last 
end they sing for, even to please themselves & get honour to 
themselves from others, and not to please God through the Lord- 
Mediator, Jesus Christ. 

Ans. 3. Singing in the Spirit imports and implies the acting 
and exercise of Grace in Singing of Psalms, the fervency of it; 
the up-flamings of it towards Heaven in tlie Devotion of super- 
lative Love to God and Delight in God, and Praises to God and 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Christians 
should be nll'd with the Spirit, with full measure of Grace, 
running over, and streaming forth in Spiritual Singing to the 
Lord, and in giving Thanks to God the Father for all things, 
in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 5. 18-20. In 
Singing of Psalms there should be a vigorous Activity of in- 
herent Grace, (the Gracious Spirit,) a fervency of Spirit in 
serving the Lord, in Singing of His Praises. 

Ans. 4. Singing by the Spirit, (like Praying in the Holy 
Ghost,) doth imply in it a Singing by the Aid and influences of 
the Eternal Spirit. Under those special assisting, sanctifying 
and comforting Influences the effectual Prayer of a Saint is call- 
ed /ltTj6(g 'Ev8Qyov{i8vri the Man being acted by the Spirit of 
God therein, and such a Prayer avails much, Sam. 5. 16. And 
by the same Divine Influences, His holy Singing of Psalms as- 
sisted will avail much, Psal. 149. 5, 9; 2 Chro. 20. 20, 22. 
Now to obtain this Good Gift of Singing by the Spirit, We 
must earnestly and most humbly Ask it of God thro' Jesus 
Cln-ist, who gives it liberally and Upbraideth not. This Good 
Gift comes from the Father of Lights. And that our Hearts 
may be prepared to Ask aright, wo may do well, 



28G THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTOX. 

1. To Consider, That tlio Good Grod, who as the God of Na- 
ture has made the Hearing Ear, has given to Mankind a delight 
in Sweefc Sounds and voices of Melody, and by means of the 
Exhilerating of the Animal Spirits thereby the Eaticnal Soul 
that is in Union with them is delighted therewith ; and that tliis 
is a good Gift, and the Lord ought to be praised and glorified 
for it. 

2. To Consider, that this Good Gift is given for this Gveiil 
and Main End, that in the Use and Enjoyment of it we should 
Please and Glorify the Lord our God and Delight ourselves Su- 
premely in Him, and not center in ourselves as our God, or 
mainly aim to delight & please our selves therewith. 

3. To Consider, and be convinced of it, and lay it deeply to 
Heart that by our Rebellion in Adam, and by the depravedness 
of our Hearts, we are at Enmity with God, and will not have 
Him to be our absolute Lord, our Last End and Chief Good, 
but set up our carnal selves in God's stead, and supremely aim 
to please our selves, and ijiot to please God : and so we are fal- 
len under his wrath and Curse. 

4. To Consider, that God the Son Incarnate has dyed and 
satisfied Divine Justice for us, and become the 3Iediator of our 
Peace, and that our wretched Souls are taken into His Gracious 
Hospital (His Church) under His Care and Cure, and 'tis pos- 
sible that they may be recovered to the Divine Favour, and Im- 
age, and Life, & to the Communion of God by lum. 

5. To Consider that of our selves, by our own mere strength, 
we can't repent & turn to God, and can't believe in Christ, and 
if God by His Mighty Power don't make us to llepent and Be- 
lieve, and change our Hearts in us, we perish. Therefore Vv'O 
must cry miglitily to God to pity us, and to change our Hearts, 
and to give us Faith and Eepentance, and in Obedience to 
God's Command, hoping in Him for His Almighty Help, we 
must try and do our utmost Endeavour to Repent and Believe, 
still using and improving the Means and Ordinances that God 
has Appointed for our Help. 

6. In Sin.ojinpr of Psalms we must endeavour to Sins: to the 



JOHN DANFORTII 287 



Lord, looking up unto, and Trusting in God the Holy Ghost, 
for His Influences to Irradiate, Elevate, Invigorate, and Fix 
our Hearts, that so from our own Experience we may be able 
to say in Trutli as the Holy Psalmist, Our Hearts are Fixed, 
0, God; We will Sing and give Praise. 

Petek Tiiaciier, 
John Danfohth, 
Samuel Danfortii. 

Note F. Page 18G. 

It is not surprising the minister of Dorchester, a brother of 
the deceased should have made this brief entry on the Records 
of an affiliated churcli. Nor is this the only memorial that 
brother has left us of the fourth Taunton minister. Appended 
to "a sermon occasioned by the late great earthquake, and the 
terrors that attended it, prepared for and (in part) delivered at 
a fiist in Dorchester, Nov. 7, 1727, By John Danforth, m. a., 
Pastor of the church there," is a tribute of warm fraternal af- 
fection in verse, which proves that the poetical element in the 
father was not extinct in the son. It is a marked coincidence 
that the two ministers associated with John Danforth in the 
preparation of the article on "Singing in Churches," included 
in this volume, died the same year, and within a month's time 
of each other. "Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives, 
and in their ddaths they were not divided." "Two vast En- 
joyments commemorated, and two great Bereavements lament- 
ed, in two excellent Persons, viz : the Eev. Mr. Peter Thacher, 
Pastor of the Church of Christ in Milton, who was born into 
this World July 18, Anno Domini 1G51, and ascended to a 
better W^orld, Dec. 17, a. d. 1727, iEtatis 77, and in the 47th 
of his Pastorate. And the Rev. Mr. Samuel Danforth, Pastor 
of the Church of Christ in Taunton, whose Nativity was Dec. 
18, A. D. 1666, and his Translation to the Heavenly Paradise, 
Not. 14, A. D. 1727, Fifteen Days after the first Shock of the 
great Earthquake in New-England. 



288 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

What ! -withoiit Feeling ? Don't we make Pretense, 
In some Degree, unto that vital Sense 1 
Dumb too ! And would be press'd to Death as Mutes ? 
Angels use speaking arts ; but rarely Brutes. 

Lisp we no Ecchocs to the dismal Sound, 
From Caverns, and Convulsions under Ground ? 
To th' Peals from tlie charg'd Chambers of the Skies ? 
To th' Voice from Temples of the Lord most High ? 

To th' Shrieks from the bereav'd Britannick Throne, 
And Realms, Great George's Death, that loudlj^ groan ? 
When AVaruing-Pieces great are fired and shot ; 
When shook, and struck, and call'd, answer we not? 

Blind Eyes, deaf Ears, hard Hearts bind fast the Tongue. 

What frightful maladies upon us throng 1 

O Son of David, mercy on us shew! 

Restore our Souls ! our spiritual Sense renew ! 

From Blindness, Deafness, Hardness, instantly 

Lord! if Thou wilt. Thou can'st our Souls set free. 

We '11 then with Thanks review Enjoyments past. 
For poor Improvements we will be abas'd 
Our late Bereavements wc will lay to Heart ; 
But most of all. God's Wrath, and our Desert. 

We long cnjoy'd a Sky, that did refrain; 

An Eartli, that Terra Firma did remain ; 

And not Infirma, but a quiet Seat, 

Groan'd not so loud, to make our Hearts to boat. 

Long were we bless'd with George's Influence, 

By whom God gave us great Deliverance. 

Th' ascended Lord long favour'd us with Lights, 

To shine vile Rebels into Favourites. 

The Council-Board, the Bench, the sacred Desk 

Long shone with Heroes, wlio are now at Rest. 

Christ's two last aged Shepherds tarried long. 

His dear (but now bereaved) Flocks among. 

\^evv- their paternal and maternal Lines. 

Both of them sprang from many great Divines, 

Honom-'d in England and New-England too, 

For service they for Christ and 's church did do. 

Angel.--, per Saltum, took their high Degree, 

Commencing Spirits, from non-Entity. 

These angels of onr ch.urches, Babes first were: 



JOHN 



DANFORTIl'S POEM. 289 



How excellent the mothers that them bare ! 

Again they, both were New-Born of the Sph-it ; 

And both great double-Portions did inherit, 

Of the rare Spirit of the bless'd Elijahs, 

Whose mantles fell to these good young Abijahs. 

What jNIan (since miracles are ceas'd) e'er gains, 

Without the Teacher s and the Learner's Pains, 

And th' Blessing upon both from God most High, 

Sufficient knowledge in the mystery 

Of Arts, of Languages, and of Religion, 

To qualify for the Prophetick Vision ? 

God bless'd the Pains, (bless'd be His glorious Name !) 

To both of these, that quickly they became 

(Like well-taught Pegasus) thorow-pac'd, 

Before they were with College-Laurels grac'd. 

Their Temper far from Injucundity ; 

Their Tongues and Pen from Infecundity, 

Solid, and Grave, yet pleasant they were each, 

Lest any should of Stanch'dness them impeach. 

In Med'cine, and in civil Laws, well read 

Were Luke and Zenas ; for their Neighbour's need, 

Each, on occasion, might few minutes lend, 

To advise a sick or an exposed Friend : 

Both these our Pastors very skilful were, 

Like Luke the one, th' other like Zenas rare. 

Their Usefulness thence flowing, by the by. 

How full of Piety and Charity ! 

All to their office-work subordinated; 

A Work unrivall'd, not to be check-mated; 

A Work, upon the Wheels forever going; 

A Work, (whatever else was done) still doing. 

A Work, for which they left no stone unturn'd, 

A Work, for which the Indian-Tongue they learn'd. 

Th' Indians in their own Language had their Lectures, 

All full of Christ, and Grace, and Heavenly Nectars. 

But th' English mainly had their Pains and Care, 

To th' English they were Angels Tutelar. 

High in Employments, but not high in Pride, 

Their High-Employer was their Guard and Guide. 

To batter sin they mighty were : For Zeal 

Chariots and Horsemen of our Israel. 

Their churches were by them (as Bulwarks strong) 

25 



290 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Prom vice (thank the Most High) defended long. 
While the Resistless Sword was in their Hand, 
Agags were hewn to Pieces in their Land. 
'Gainst Sin did Lions in God's Cause appear, 
But in their own, they Lambs for Meekness were. 

They left a sacred Stamp where'er they trod; 
Their Lives-Right-Steps shew'd Men the way to God : 
They both were to their Flocks iinblotted Paterns : 
And of all Godliness and Virtue Patrons. 

Shepherds they were, who right the Sheep did guide ; 
And wlio seducing Wolves could not abide, 
Both wrought with God, and wrought by Faith and Prayer, 
Both v/roughtyor God, and were His tender care. 

Both many thousand sacred Sermons preacli'd. 
That th' Ears and Hearts of many hundreds reach'd , 
Most bounteously God answered their Desire, 
Hard Hearts would melt by their seraphic Fire. 

Their Prayers and Prophecyings (hj Heav'n's Mighty 
Rais'd up dead Souls, restor'd tlie Blind to sight. 
Right noble Wisdom thus each of 'em had, 
"Wise to win Souls, to make their Savior glad. 

Careful they were Christ's Sheep should never feed 
On Arian, Popish, or Arminian weed ; 
Careful lest worldly Lusts should hot pursue 'em, 
Bad Company and Pleasures siiould uiulo 'em ; 
Careful to bring 'em from Destructive Things, 
To the safe Shelter of bless'd Jesus' Wings. 

For Foresight, and good Forecast, few their Match ; 

Were ever on thcir^Guard, and on their Watch. 

Both Men and Things they studied well and knew ; 

Their Bow they seldom at Adventure drew. 

In Councils frequent and in Travels oft, 

Success (like jo}'ful Streamers) seen aloft. 

But I omit Avhole volumes yet behind ; 

So great Enjoyments tell us God is kind. 

Lustres of Years (though fit for Heaven) they stood. 

By Clirist continued, for His Churches good. 

Their precious useful memory remains, 

For wise Improvers everlasting Gains, 

Who gain'd no Gold by those Aurifick Stones, 

Have Reason now to make their doleful Moans. 



JOHN DANFORTIl'S POEM. 291 



Our Loss in their Remove is far from sm;ill, 
Who were such copious Blessings unto all. 

May Heaven that takes our Treasures, make Kctrieveuicnts ! 

Else Bankrupts are undone by such Bereavements. 

Levi'thans they, who do not, (for their Fart) 

The Wounding- Warnings ducly lay to heart. 

Portended Ills prevent! most Gracious God! 

Make all take warning by Thy Speaking Rod ! 

Bereaved Families, and Flocks with Tears, » 

Ask tender Sympathy, and fervent Pi'ayers ; 

May Heav'n's kind Ears receive their Lamentations ! 

Give, Lord ! their weakened Hearts strong consolaLion ! 

Amen. 
Ita humillime precatur. 

J. D. 



292 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



CHAPTER VI. 

REV. THOMAS CLAP,* THE FIFTH MINISTER OF TAUNTON. 

The compiler of this work has received so full and sat- 
isfactory a notice of the Clap family, from Rev. Mr. Wight 
of Scituate, that little comparatively is left for him to do. 
The communication is presented entire, with the addition 
of a few notes. 

North Scituate, Feb. 16, 1852. 
''Rev. S. Hopkins Emery, 

Dear Brother: — Your letter of inquiry, respecting 
Rev. Thomas Clapp of Taunton, born in Scituate, after 
some delay through a neighboring post office, was received 
on the 9th inst. I have made somewhat careful inquiry, 
and am now prepared to report. It is a pleasing coinci- 
dence, perhaps worthy to be mentioned, that ha\ing a 
manuscript volume of his sermons in my possession, of 
some three to four hundred pages, quite a curiosity, I had 
been inquiring into his history and ancestry, on a visit at 
one of his descendants, a parishioner of mine, not three 
weeks previous to the date of your letter, and had already 
recorded several facts of interest in said volume. I am 
therefore the more interested and better prepared to reply 
to your inquiries. 

* I have given the name as Mr. Clap generally wi-ote it, although 
more modern usage makes it •' Clapp."' 



THOMAS CLAP. 293 



Rev. Thomas Clapp^ settled as the fifth pastor of the 
first church m Taunton, 1729, was a son of John Clapp, 
born 1G7T, who was a son of Samuel, born probably about 
1645, (or between 1640 and 1656,) who was the son of 
Thomas^ born in Dorchester, England, 1597. 

This first Thomas Clapp came to New-England with the 
early settlers of Dorchester, Mass., (1630,) where his 
brothers John, Richard and Ambrose tarried. Thomas 
proceeded to AVeymouth, where he resided till 1640, when 
he removed to Scituate. lYi^farm was on the north-west 
of the Stockbridge !Mill-Pond, near which lies the scene of 
^the Old Oaken Bucket,' a famous Temperance ode, by 
Samuel Woodworth, a native of Scituate. The first son 
of Thomas Clapp, was Thomas, born in AYey mouth, 1639. 
His other children, born in Scituate, were Eleazer, Samuel 
Ehzabeth, Prudence, John, born 1658, and Abigail, born 
1659. In 1647, he was a Deacon in the first church in 
Scituate, and is spoken of as ' an active, useful and vener- 
able man.' 

From jSamuel descended the distinguished family of 
Clapps in this vicinity. He succeeded to his father's res- 
idence, and married Hannah Gill of Hingham, 1666. His 
children were Samuel, born 1667, Joseph, Dea. Stephen, 
born 1670, Hannah, Bethia, Lieut. John, born 1677, Abi- 
gail, David, Deborah, and Jane, born 1689. 

The most distinguished son of Dea. Stephen was Thorn- 
as, born 1703. This Thomas graduated at Harvard Col- 
lege 1722, was ordained at Windham, Connecticut, 1726 ; 
chosen President of Yale College, 1740, in which ofiice he 
continued till 1764, when he resigned, and on a visit at 
Scituate, 1765, he deceased. The historian of Scituate 
says : ' President Stiles, his successor, speaks of him as 
25* 



204 THE 3IXSXSTBY OF TAryrON. 

standi T in rhe first rank= of the learned men of LL? age. 
He r hi^er branches of 3Iaiiieinatics. and was 

oae of tke first Philj^ophers America has produced, and 
eqoaDed bv no man. except the most learoed Professor 
"Windirop. Asa The'^kgian also, he is ►: ~ - Lsed. 
As a President- most inde^tigable and gu-. . . -^ ^- ^ pro- 
skcrting the interests of learning, and raising the rank of 
bis ccfiege.* Se wrote a history of Tale College, azid 
Hian J pamphlets in defence of the Xew-En^dand churches. 

Lfteot. '7<>An, brother of Dea. Stephen, married Hannah 
Gill. (Tos eoagin,) 1702, and Kved on the p^-es^nt C ' 
£trm, a aiMst distance east of the Stockbridge >Iill-P ci^i. 
He had tw- ^ ' ^. TH03IA.?; bom November 11, 1705, and 

John, defec as 'a lovelv and desirable jouth,' who 

was killed instanthr. October 18, 1722, aged sixteen vear;. 
He was killed near his iaJhers boose, bj the tongue of a 
cart fal&ag cm. bis neck. A handbill, containing some 
rery quaint lines to his 'memorjy beaded by an engraved 
design, st" int, is still in existence. 

^.<!?!r. T bom XoTember 11, 1705 /-'^^ - 

ated at Hi^r ,. , 1725, and settled in ^ . 

1729. He -• rried to Mary Leonard, dau^iter of 

Judge George l>onard,* of Xorton, September 9, 1781.t 

* Jad^ fj^jr^it Jjfzrjns.T'l •v&a a 'f'^rfrir? ?**!«'! "hari'-^'^r in hi? daj, 

Hsr Trjt* son of TbTcia?, -jrhr^ ▼ss^ ? f vra Clerk, 

and Dea/^>n. G^/vrg*;. rerr.'-irr - .-^ cslled 
Sortoo. in ICSO, y^-^rnf-. 



tarF]«m 


H% -x-a.? >i^. 


«IAt*r 


."-. , 'f';?.^ Cc!' 


al>^ 




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H. 




Ife 




wf. 




oa-' 








THOMAS CLAP. 295 



While in Taunton, he had three children, viz : John, born 
Julv 14, 1733 ; Thomas, born June 22, 1736 ; and Mary, 
bom Lord's day, Xovember 19,,1738. He was dismiss- 
ed, and returned to the paternal estate in Scituate, the 
same year, 1738. One of his descendants informs me, 
' he left his parish, on accomit of some trouble in collecting 
his salary.* His people said, they would never settle an- 
other rich man.' After returning to Scituate, he built a 
new house, 1740, on the paternal estate, in which his 
grandson stiU resides, 1852. February 27, 1740, he had 
another son bom, Cahin, who died January 8, 1741. 



*= There is a manuscript book in my possession whicli came originally 
from Scituate. containing a record of Mr. Clap's official acts as^ Justice 
of the Peace, in that place, and some few of the church proceedings, be- 
fore his dismission from Taunton. The concern of the church for their 
minister's temporal interest, and strong desire that he should receive 
his just due. are clearly indicated by their recorded acts. However the 
town or parish may have felt. I am persuaded the cliurch, as a body, 
were guiltless in this matter. For thus they resolved. 

'- At a church meeting at the house of Mr. Benjamin Wilbore. in 
Taunton, on Friday. Jan. 6, 1737. 

•• The church taking into consideration the vote of the Town for ]\Ir. 
Clapp's salary and his present allowance, do find that since the value of 
our pa]3er currency is fallen, he has not had his salaiy, according to the 
vote of the town, and do esteem it our duty to endeavor that justice 
mav be done in that matter, and that we might know what is just in the 
affaii-. Voted, That the Hon. Seth Williams. Capt. Joseph Tisdale. Mr. 
]S\athaniel Grossman, Mr. William Hodges, 2d., Mr. Benjamin Wilbore, 
Mr. Israel Dean and Mr. Edmond Andrews be a committee to endeavor, 
as ?oon as possibly they can, to get a tnie and perfect knowledge of 
the value of money that year Mr. Clapp settled with us in the work of 
the ministry, and of every year since, to this time, and make a fair, just 
and honestcomputation, according to the best of their understanding, 
what Mr. Clapp's salary ought in justice to be, so that it may be just as 
good to him now as when it was voted ; to make their report to this 
church at the adjournment of this meeting. 

'' Voted. That if the Selectmen of the" Town should refuse to call a 
town meetiue: upon the application this church hath made to them, that 
then the Hon. Seth Williams. Capt. Joseph Tisdale. INIr. Nathaniel 
Grossman. Mr. William Hodges, 2d., Mr. Benjamin Wilbore. :Mr. Ishiel 
Dean and ^Ir. Edmond Andrews be, and are hereby requested immedi- 
ately upon their refusal, to take the proper steps in the law, in order to 
obtain a town meeting on the affairs specified and set forth in said ap- 
plication."' 



296 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



His wife, Mary Leonard, died of measles, June 27, 1741, 
aged twenty-seven years, five months and ten days. She 
was not buried in Scituate, but w^as carried either to Taun- 
ton or Norton, where her family resided. A letter of 
sympathy, addressed to him on this occasion, is still extant 
in Ms. dated 'Waltham, July 14, 1741,' and signed, 
' your affectionate and sympathizing Brother and humble 
servant, Warham Wilhams,' then pastor of the first church 
in that place. 

He married, for his second wife, Esther Chandler, 
daughter of Hon. John Chandler, of Worcester, May 9, 
1745. He was one of the 'slaveholders' of that day, and 
had Cjuite a number of slaves, which he promised to liber- 
ate on his marriage to his second wife, she having objected 
to the marriage, unless he would promise their liberty. 
For some reason, however, they were not liberated till af- 
ter his death. He had one female slave, the mother of 
many sons, who were reared up in his house, the marks 
and scratches of their fingers remaining on the walls of the 
chambers to this day. 

By his second vdfe, he had five children, viz: Hannah, 
born October 24, 1746, died January 9, 1840, aged ninety- 
three years; Calvin, born October 28, 1747, died Decem- 
ber 4, 1752, aged three years, twenty-six days; Augus- 
tus, born March 28, 1752, Post Master from 1805 to 
1827, died February 2, 1827, aged seventy-five years; 
Chandler, born December 28, 1754, a justice of the peace, 
and also post-master, died December 25, 1832, aged 
seventy-eight years, and Eufus, born January 24, 1759, 
died June 8, 1834, aged seventy-five years. These five 
children all died unmarried. Thomas, the second son, by 
the first wife, born 1736, was an officer in the 44th regi- 



THOMAS CLAr. 297 



mcnt of the British Armj, and died immarried at Ross 
Castle, Ireland, August 4th, 1770, aged thirtj-four years. 
Ilis sister, Mary, also, died unmarried, December 6, 1829, 
aged ninety-one years an 1 nineteen days. She is repre- 
sented as 'a remarkably accomplished woman.' 

John Clapp, the first born, and only child of E>cv. 
Thomas Clapp, that married, born in Tamiton, 1733, was 
married to Jerusha Bailey, 1752, and had the following 
children, viz : Marj^, Ruth, John, liancy, Esther, Leonard^ 
born 1766, and Hannah, born 1768. These all married, 
except John, who died in early youth. Leonard married 
Elizabeth Stetson, ISTovember 28, 1797, and had twelve 
children, eight of whom, with the parents, thirty-six grand- 
children, and one great-grandchild, are still living; the 
father in his eighty-sixth year, residing on the paternal 
estate of Rev. Thomas. The other grand-children, v,ho 
were married left posterity.* 

After Rev. Thomas Clapp left Taunton, he was not 
again settled in the ministry, but lived as a lay member of 
society, filling hoAvever, several important offices of trust. 
He was colonel of the Militia, justice of the peace, for 
many years a Representative of the to^vn, and also a judge 
of Plymouth County. He was taken sick with the Palsy, 
while presiding on the bench as Judge in Plymouth court. 
After the first attack, he v^as subject to fits, each reducing 
him lower and lower. Durinf>; his long; sickness of seven 
years continuance, he was able often to go out, and once 
went to Plymouth court, but for the last few years of his 
life he vras confined to his bed. He is represented as 
having been remarkably mild and pleasant in his disposi- 
tion till he had the Palsy, after which he was irritable and 
^' Note A. 



298 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

hard to please. He was not very tall, but fleshy, and of 
fine personal appearance. He died May 31, 1774, m the 
sixty-mnth year of his age. He was buried in the north- 
west part of ' the common ' burying-ground, about three- 
fourths of a mile from Scituate harbor. His gravestones 
were removed, though not his rempdns, in 1828, to their 
present position, in the family burying-ground, near his 
former residence. The stones of his last wife, with those 
of several of his children, arc neatly arranged beside his 
own. I give below the inscriptions, as they stand upon 
his own, and last wife's monuments of slatestone. 

" Saei'cd " Sacred 

to the Memory of to the INIemory of 

Col. Thomas Chipp, INIi-s. Esther Chipp, 

who (lied who died 

May 31. 1774, July 20, 1790, 

in the 69 year aged 72 yrs. 

of iiis affc. 



Rejoice in glorious hope, AVhen will separation cease, 

Jesus the Judge shall come, rriendship's sons unite in peace, 

And take his servants up, Grief no more ojipress the heart. 

To their eternal home." Friends no more he doomed to part f 

It is not known that any hkeness of Rev. Thomas Clapp 
is in existence. Quite a number of his library books, es- 
pecially law books, are in possession of his grandson, Mr. 
Leonard Clapp, from one of which I cut his name to send 
you, as doubtless in his own hand. Besides the Yokmie of 
Mss. sermons, before referred to, the family have placed 
in my hands a letter, (or copy of one,) probably written 
by him, to the Governor, dated ' Boston, Aug. 4, 1755 ;' 
an interesting letter, sympathizing with his Excellency, on 
the death and defeat of Gen. Braddock, at Fort Du 



THOMAS CLAP. 299 



Quesne, July 9, in which the Governor had abo lost an 
own son, ' a young gentleman of superior accomplishments.' 
There is also the remnant of a Ms. sermon, and the let- 
ter addressed to him from Mr. Williams of Waltham, be- 
fore alluded to; something of a curiosity. Most of his 
writings and private papers have been destroyed. In 
collecting many of the facts before stated, I would cheer- 
fully acknowledge my obligations to ^liss Mary Leonard 
Clapp, an intelligent lady, and great-grand-daughter of 
Rev. Thomas Clapp. 

If I can render you any further assistance in so lauda- 
ble an object, I shall be happy to do so. Please excuse 
my delay in forwarding this, as it has seemed necessary 
under the circumstances. 

I remain, 

Most truly yours, 

Daxiel Wight, jr. 

P. S. March 2d, 'o2. I have delayed sending this to 
secure a few dates, left blank, and also to enclose an an- 
ecdote from Dr. James, respecting Rev. Mr. Clapp, which 
he says he will put in writing, and may be of some inter- 
est. The dates I find cannot be ascertained, and the an- 
ecdote,* I will send when ready. Excuse this further 
delay." 

^ The anecdote referred to by Mr. Wight is here subjoined in tlie 
words of Doctor James. 

"Scituate, Feb. 19th, 1852. 

Eet'd Dear Sir: — In your manuscript relative to the history of 
Thomas Clapp, formerly minister in Taunton, Mass., which you kindly 
submitted to my perusal, I notice a brief allusion to his personal ap- 
pearance. This brings to my recollection a little anecdote related to 
me forty years since, by a gentleman, who from his very advanced age 
at the time, might have bee:i cotemporary with the distinguished person 
whose history you have traced. It is of importance only as it seems to 
confirm what you have written in regard to the physical form of the 
Keverend gentleman. 



300 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



Mr. Clap's ministry in Taunton was of shorter continu- 
ance than that of either of his predecessors, if we except 
Kev. Mr. Hookc. V^e fortunately have chronological 
statements in Dr. Harris' account of Dorchester which 
coniirm the dates of Mr. Wight. He not only states that 
a daughter of ]Major George Leonard married Mr. Clap, 
but under date of '' 1729, Feb. IG," quoting from their 
ancient church records, says: "Mr. Ebenezer Clap and 
Mr. Phillips Payson chosen to go to Taunton with the or- 
dained officers of the church, to ordination of Mr. Thomas 
Clap on the 26th inst." (p. 197.) He was ordamed on 
that day, 1729, and was the minister of Taunton nine 
years.* Some one has described him as " social m his 
temper, extremely fond of company, and very hospitable." 
It is added, on what authority I am not able to say: 
"many of the more rigid members of his church were 
dissatisfied, thinking his manners and habits too familiar 

A man, (his name was given mc by the narrator, but I hare lost it,) 
doubtless something of a "vvag, called at the house of the father of Thom- 
as who was then a youth of some ten or a dozen years of age, and no 
doubt a very interesting boy. The mother, (as motliers are sometimes 
■wont,) was very lavish in praise of her promising son; speaking in glow- 
ing terms of his personal beauty, stating that 'he must be considered 
perfect in that respect, were it not for one deficiency, his neck iixts a little 
too short.'' The man not being able perhaps to sec with the partial eyes 
of the mother, and considering her remarks rather fulsome and extrav- 
agant, and withal intending to give a gentle rebuke to maternal vanitv, 
replied: 'Indeed, madam, your son must be acknowledged as very beau- 
tiful with the exception which you have named, and which certainly is 
to be regretted; but I hope you will not allow yourself to be over anx- 
ious in regard to this solitary defect, as I think it by no means improba- 
ble, that the civil authorities will eventually afford a remedy.' 

With respect, 
Kev. Daniel Wight, Jr , your friend and humble serv't, 

Scituate. Elisha James. 

^ T<Ir. Clap Imilt and occupied the hoiTsc beautifully situated at the 
liead of Deane Street, opposite the mansion houses of George A. and 
William A. Crocker. Judge Fales, Capt. Barney, Job Hall, Hon. 
James L. Hodges, and Doctor Gordon have been its successive owners 
since Mr. Clap's day. 



THOMAS CLAP. 301 



and convivial for the sober gravity of the pulpit." This 
may have been so. But the additional statement, that 
^'nothing remains to indicate the character of his pulpit 
performances," is fortunately wide from the truth. In 
addition to the volume of manuscript sermons in the hands 
of Mr. Wight, there is a volume of nearly three hundred 
pages, embracing eighteen sermons, which Rev. Mr. Brig- 
ham of Taunton, in his antiquarian researches has secured, 
any one of wliich is worthy of a place in this volume.* 
The sermons are on subjects suggested by the following 
passages of Scripture : 1 John 3:2; Luke 23 : 43 ; Matt. 
9: 12; John 3: 19; Heb. 2: 16; John 8: 29; Luke 2: 
25 ; Luke 1 : 72 ; Matt. 5:19; Song of Solomon 5:16; 
Phill. 3:8; Heb. 11: 13; Luke 16: 22; Eph. 5: 8; 1 
Tim. 5:6; Song of Solomon 5: 16. 

So far as sermons read can " indicate the character of 
pulpit performances," it is proposed to do it, by furnishing 
an exact copy of the first sermon in this valuable collection 
of the writings of the fifth Taunton minister. 

* The hand writing is uncommonly plain and beautiful, almost as 
legible as printed matter. The title page of the book in large, distinct 
characters is thus: " Sundry sermons and discourses on some of the 
main and chief doctrines or principles of the Christian religion. Com- 
posed b}' Thomas Clap of Taunton in New-England." 

26 



302 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 



' 



ON 

Our likeness to God, 

AXD 

Vision of Him. 

The Text, i John, 3:2. — Beloved, Now we are the Sons of God, and it 
doth not yet appear what we shall be, But we know that when he 
shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 

The Apostle John, Christ's beloved Disciple ^svas the au- 
thor of this Epistle, wherein he greatly Inculcates upon 
Christians the duty of loving God, and one another, and 
pers wades them to holiness of life, without which they can 
lay no claim to any of the priviledges of the Gospell. Es- 
pecially to that great priviledge of being God's children, 
for it is only those that truly love God and keep his com- 
mandments, that he takes into the number of his children, 
which is an unspeakable favour and priviledge ; indeed, the 
apostle speaks of it as a great honour, and as a mighty 
instance of God's love to christians, in taking of them in- 
to the number of his children, as in the 1st verse of this 
chapter. Behold what manner of love the father hath be- 
stowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God, 
a great favour. Indeed an astonishing Instance of his love ! 
for whom God calls his Sons, he makes them really and 
truely so : he confers not the name without the thing. 
Now this priviledge, the apostle tells us in our text, we 
enjoy in this life. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God ; 
this is the love which God bestows on christians in this 

* I have retained the orthoo-raphy. punctuation, and capital letters of 
the oritrinal letters in this, as in preceding; productions of our ministers, 
rather than to modernize them, or make them in the slightest particular 
unlike what they were, when they proceeded from the pen of their authors. 



clap's sermon in 1730. 303 

world : this is the hapiness of their present condition ; 
But what the favour and priviledges are, which God shall 
bestow upon them in the world to come, or what their fu- 
ture hapiness would be, he could not tell with that cer- 
tainty, for says he, It does not yet appear what we shall 
be, the circumstances of our future hapiness and glory 
are not fully revealed to us ; a vaill is drawn before it, so 
that we are in a great measure ignorant of what we shall 
be, yet this we know, that when he shall appear we shall 
be conformed to his blessed Image and shall be admitted 
to the Immediate Light and Enjoyment of him. It doth 
not yet appear what we shall be, i. e., we are in a great 
measure ignorant of our future hapiness, but when he 
shall appear i. e. when he shall display his glory in the ap- 
pearance of his Son, who is to come in the glory of his 
father our future hapmess shall be fully revealed to us. 
While we are in this mortall state wx have but a dark glimse 
of our future hapiness, and we shall never know what 
really it is untill we do get to heaven. The best concep- 
tions that we can possibly form of it now, do fall vastly 
short of the Exceeding Greatness and glory of it. The par- 
ticulars of our future happiness are no where exactly dis- 
covei'ed to us, but only thus much wo are assured of in 
Generall, that we shall be like God, for we shall see him 
as he is ; which sufficiently Intimates to us that we shall 
be exceedingly happy and blessed in the coming world, for 
to be like God comprehends all possible hapiness in it, 
for God is not only the best but also the happiest of beings. 
The only Doctrine which J shall observe from the words, for 
our present meditation and Improvement is this, viz : 

Doct : That the children of God, while in this world, 
are in a great measure Ignorant what their future hapi- 



304 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

ness will be, but thus much they know and are assured off^ 
that it shall consist in their likeness to God and in the Im- 
mediate vision and fruition of him — they shall be like God 
and shall see him as he is. 

In speaking unto this Doctrine I "will shew jou first, That 
the children of God, while in this world, are in a great 
measure Ignorant what their future hapuaess will be, and 
secondly, that thus much they know and are assured off, 
that it shall consist in their likeness to God and in the im- 
mediate vision and fruition of him, and lastly, I shall make 
some Improvement of the whole. 

1. First, then, I am to shew you tliat the children of God 
while in this world are in a great measure Ignorant what 
their future hapiness will be. It doth not yet appear 
what we shall be. There is a vaill drawn between us and 
the heavenly world, so that we cannot clearly understand 
what are the felicities of it. The Scripture tells us that it is 
a glory yet to be revealed ; that there shall be a future 
state of hapiness for good men in another world, God by 
his word hath assured us of, tho' this also was in some 
measure obscure both to the Jews and Gentiles, before the 
coming of Christ, yet now it is clearly revealed to us by 
him who hath brought life and Immortality to light by the 
Gospell, but the perticular cu*cumstances of this hapiness 
are still hid from us ; there are many things about it that 
we are entirely Ignorant off; we now know but in part. 
God has assured us in (xenerall that there is a future state 
of unspeakable happiness and Immense Glory ; that good 
men shall be as happy and Blessed as they can possibly be ; 
that it Infinitely surpasses any hapiness this world can 
possibly afford, and that it shall be EternaU. So much of it 

God hath been pleased to reveall to us for our Comfort and 



clap's sermox IX 1730. 305 

Incouragement, the rest he hath Concealed from us. He 
hath let us know so much of the hapiness and Glorj of 
the future world as is enough to quicken our Diligence and 
Excite our Endeavours for the obtaining and securing of 
it, and also to support and comfort us under all the diffi- 
culties, sorrows and temptations that we shall meet with 
in our passage thro' this world, but he hath not been 
pleased to let us know any further about it, and it would 
be a bold Intrusion into his Secrets, to pry and search any- 
further, and if we should. It would be to no purpose, for 
in things which depend upon divine revelation. It is impos- 
sible for us to know any more than God is pleased to re 
veall to us. In matters of pure revelation we cannot go 
beyound the word of God ; the things of God knoweth no 
man, but the Spiritt of God or he to whom the Spirit of 
God shall reveall them. A Learned Divine represents the 
matter to us in the followuig Comparison, If one should 
come (says he) from a Strange Country, never known and 
discovered before, and should only tell us in Generall that 
it was a most pleasant and delightful place, and the Inliab- 
itants of it were a brave and Generous, and wealthy peo- 
ple, mider the Government of a wise and Great King, 
ruling by Excellent laws ; and that the perticular dehght, 
and advantages of it were not to be Imagined by anything he 
knew in our own Country, and say no more about it. If wee 
gave Creditt to the person that made or brought us this 
relation, It would Create in us a great Admiration to see 
it and hve in it. But it would be a vam Curiosity, to rea- 
son and conjecture about the particular Conveniences of 
it ; because it would be Impossible by any discourse of 
ours, to arrive at the Certain Knowledge of any more than 
he who only knew it was pleased to tell us. This is the 
26* 



306 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Case, sajs he, as to our heavenly Countiy ; our Blessed 
Saviour, who came clown from heaven, from the bosom of 
the father, hath revealed to us a state of hapmess and 
Glory in Generall, and hath assured us that there are 
Eternall mansions of Bliss where good men shall be feast- 
ed upon pure pleasures and unmingled Joys, more manly, 
more refined and more Spirituall, than any this world can 
afford ; that they shall be made as happy in body and soul 
as their natures are capable off, and shall never meet with 
anything that shall Vex or grieve them any more. In a 
word that there are Celestial mansions, w^here the righ- 
teous shall be glorified and shall shine as the Brightness 
of the Son in the Kingdom of their father forever and 
ever, and beyond this he hath made no perticular discov- 
ery to us of the felicity of that place ; he hath given us 
no punctuall representation of the Glory of it. There are 
many things concerning the heavenly world that we are in 
dark about, and cannot speak of with any Certainty ; we 
have it no where perticularly declared to us, what our 
work and employment shall be in heaven, or in what way 
God will Communicate himself to us, or what kind of con- 
versation we shall have with the blessed angels and with 
one another, or whether we shall stand affected in any 
perticular manner to those who were our friends, and re- 
lations and acquaintance m this world. These and perhaps 
a thousand things more which may concern the glories of that 
state we are and must be Ignorant off, seeing our Saviour 
hath not revealed them to us. We are assured in Gener- 
all that the happiness of heaven is Exceeding great and 
full of glory, but the perticulars of it are not revealed to 
us, therefore we must be Content to be Ignorant of them 
untill wee come to heaven, where w^e shall have them all 



clap's sermon in 1730. 307 

revealed to us, and Indeed such is the Imperfection of our 
natures in this state of mortality, that we are not able to 
bear a full and clear representation of the heavenly glory, 
the splendor of it would overwhelm us and dash us to 
peices in a moment, like an Earthen vessell. When our Sa- 
viour was transfigured on the mount and a little Image of 
heaven was shewn to his disciples, they were strangely 
amazed and knew not what they said. And the apostle 
Paull tells us, that when he was taken up into the third 
heaven, the things which he saw and heard there were not 
to be uttered, so that well might the apostle say as in our 
text. It doth not yet appear what we shall be. It can't 
enter now in the heart of man to Conceive of the hapi- 
ness and glory of the heavenly world. Agreeably we 
read i Cor. 2.9, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither 
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God 
hath prepared for them that love him. Our future state 
is very obscure to us, while we are in this world, we have 
no distinct and perticular knowledge of it ; when we talk 
and reason about it, we talk and discourse as childi-en, but 
in the other world we shall grow up to be men and then 
we shall j^ut away these childish thoughts ; now we know 
in part, but then we shall know even as we are known ; 
now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall see 
face to face as the apostle Excellently argues Concerning 
this very matter in i Cor. 13. 9, 10, 11, 12, for we know 
in part and we prophesie in part ; But when that which is 
perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done 
away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I under- 
stood as a child, I thought as a child ; But when I became 
a man I put away childish Things, for now we see through 
a glass darkly, but then face to face, now I know in part, 
but then shall I know even as also I am known. 



308 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

II. I proceed now unto the second projDosition to shew 
you that notwithstandmg we are m a great measure Igno- 
rant what our future hapiness shall be, yet thus much we 
know and are assured off, that it shall Consist in our like- 
ness to God and in the Blessed vision and fruition of him, 
and this is a very great hapmess Indeed ; for to be like 
God and to see him as he is, is the highest hapiness and 
greatest glory of a reasonable Creature ; for what can an 
Immortal souU desire more than to be like the Blessed 
God, who is the being of beings, and to behold his glory, 
and this the apostle assures us in our text, shall be our 
hapiness in heaven. But we know that when he shall ap- 
pear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. 
In speaking unto this proposition, I will shew you first that 
our future hapiness shall Consist in our likeness to God ; 
and secondlv, in the blessed vision and fruition of him. 

First, then, our future happiness shall Consist in our 
likeness to God. This we know, says the apostle in our 
text, when he shall appear we shall be like him, his Bless- 
ed Image will be restored to us in a greater perfection 
than ever man enjoyed in his state of Innocency. We shall 
be made holy as he who hath Called us is holy. But es- 
pecially our likeness to God shall Consist in these two 
things : In the Immortality of our Natures and in the 
purity of our souUs. 

First, then, our likeness to God will Consist in the Im- 
mortality of our Natures. We shall be Immortall, as he is 
Immortall ; our duration will run parellell with Eternity, 
We shall never Cease to be. Indeed while we are in this 
mortall state we are Incapable of perfect and compleat 
hapiness. Such is the weakness of our faculties that we 
are Incapable of Eternall felicity, our frail Natures would 



clap's sermon in 1730. 309 

sink under an Eternall weight of glory. Nothing but an 
Immortall nature can be happy forever, and therefore the 
Scripture assures us that our natures shall be made Im- 
mortall, that this mortall shall put on Immortality. In the 
future world we shall be made Immortall in our bodies and 
in our soulls, for our bodies which arc now so weak and 
fraill, when they shall be raised again, shall be quite alter- 
ed and changed from what they now are. Our blessed 
Saviour will by his Almighty power new mould and fashion 
them and make them Immortall like his own most glorious 
body. Agreeably says the apostle, Phill. 3. 21, the Lord 
Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be 
fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the 
working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things, un- 
to himself. The bodies of the saints will be like Christ's, 
beautifull and amiable, splendid and glorious, Immortall 
and Incorruptible. Christ rose from the dead after the 
power of an endless life. He dieth no more, death shall 
never have any more dominion over him. So the raised 
bodies of the samts, will be so refined from the principles 
of Corruption and mortality that they shall not waste, de- 
cay or die any more. Hence our Saviour, speaking of the 
Saints who are found worthy to Obtain the heavenly world, 
says Luke, 20. 36 neither can they die any more ; for they 
are equall unto the Angells, and are the children of God, 
being the children of the resurrection. And the apostle 
doth perticularly set forth in what the great change that 
shall be made on the bodies of the saints at the resurrec- 
tion doth consist : i Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44 : So is the resur- 
rection of the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised 
in Incorruption, It is sown in dishonour, It is raised in 
Glory : It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power, It is 



310 THE MINISTllY OF TAUNTON. 

sown a Naturall body. It is raised a Spirituall body. Our 
bodies now are vile and mean and Corruptible, attended 
with many weaknesses and Imperfections, and they will 
quickly be sown in dishonour in the grave, but at the resur- 
rection they shall, by the mighty power of God, be refined 
and advanced into spirituall and vigorous. Glorious and 
Immortall bodies, and when this blessed Change shall be 
made, mortality shall be swallowed up of life, for as the 
apostle observes this Corruptible must put on Incorruption 
and this mortall must put on Immortality. And there is a 
Necessity of this in order to our perfect hapiness, for that 
is not a perfect hapiness which shall expire and have an 
End. It would strangely damp all the Joys of heaven if 
they were finite ; tho' Ave vrere in the full possession of them? 
yet the thoughts of our leaving them vrould wonderfully 
lessen our esteem of them ; there is no being that can be 
truely happy but what is of an Immortall nature, therefore 
the apostle is per-remptory in this, that our bodies must be 
Changed into Immortall Substances, because as they are 
now Constituted and framed they are utterly Incapable of 
Eternall happiness, see I Cor. 15. 50 : now this I say. 
Brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom 
of God. "Where by flesh and blood, the apostle docs not 
mean, as many have imagmed, our sinfull and impure na- 
ture, but our fraill and mortall nature. Consisting of such 
gross materialls, as flesh and blood are, for the maintenance 
and support of which, there is continuall need of new re- 
cruits and fresh supplies of nourishment by meat and drink. 
Such a nature as this which is necessarily mortal cannot 
inherit the Kingdom of God, which is a state of perpetual 
and Endless happiness. And that the apostle means this 
by the phrase of flesh and blood, is evident beyond all 



clap's sermon in 1730. 311 

doubt, from the next words wliich the apostle adds bj way 
of explication of what he had said, this I say brethren, that 
flesh and blood cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God, neith- 
er doth Corruption Inherit Incorruption, that which is lia- 
ble to death and Corruption, is not Capable of Immortall 
Glory and hapiness ; and therefore our natures must be 
made Immortall, In order to their being made capable of 
Eternallhapmess, and Immortality makes us like God. This 
is part of that Image of his which will be Impressed on 
our bodies and our soulls at the resurrection, and it is an 
Evident testimony and declaration that we are the sons of 
God. We are now as one observes the children of God, 
in respect to our title to a future Inheritance, but this is 
hid from the world : but at the resurrection, when we shall 
bear the Image of his Immortality, this will be an evident 
mark of our being the sons of God ; as our blessed Saviour 
was mightily declared to be the Son of God, by his resur- 
rection from the dead, so Hkewise shall his members be de- 
clared to be the children of God, by that glorious change 
that shall be made in them at the resurrection ; when this 
mortall shall put on Immortality, then we shall be the 
sons of God indeed, when we shall be equall to the angells 
and can die no more. Thus much may serve for the first 
perticular wherein our likeness to God in a future state 
shall consist, viz : in the Immortality of natures without 
which it is Impossible we should be everlastingly happy. 

2. Again, Secondly, another perticular wherein our 
likeness to God in a future state will Consist is in the pu- 
rity of our soulls, our soulls will undergo a glorious change 
as well as our bodies. They will be thoro'iy purified from all 
sin and Imperfection and conformed to the Image and like- 
ness of God. The Imasie of God will be restored in the 



312 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

souUs of the saints, in a greater beauty and i3erfection, 
than ever Adam Enjoyed in his state of Innocencj. There 
will not be the least spot or stain of sin ujDon them, but 
they will be made perfect in holiness. They will be holy as 
God is holy, tho' not so holy as he is, for it is impossible 
that any finite being, should ever attain to an equal per- 
fection in holiness with the blessed God, who is Infinitely 
and Essentially holy, but the holiness of the saints shall be 
of the same nature and kind with the holiness of God, and 
they shall be as perfectly holy as their natures are Capa- 
ble of being. All the Comunicable perfections of the divine 
nature shall be bestowed on them. No grace nor vertue 
shall be wanting in them, but they shall be partakers of 
the divine nature and be made as much like God as they 
possibly can be. As the bodies of the Saints shall be fash- 
ioned like unto Christ's most glorious body, so their soulls 
shall be purified and conformed to the glorified soul of the 
blessed Jesus, for Christ is the glorious pattern after whom 
the Saints shall be fashioned. They shall bear a very near 
resemblance to Christ both in the inward and outward man. 
There will be a wonderfull similitude between the soulls of 
the saints and the Glorified soull of Jesus Christ in heav- 
en ; tho' Christ in all things must have the pre-eminence. 
Yet their soulls like Christ's shall be filled with all divine 
vertues and graces, and shall come up as near to the orig- 
inall of them in Christ, as the limited nature and Circum- 
stances of their Glorified Soulls will allow oft'. The Saints 
while they live in this world do long and strive to be free 
from sin and do labour to carry holiness on to perfection 
in the fear of God, tho' they cannot possibly attain to it 
in this life, for there is some rehck of sin, some spots and 
Imperfection in the holiness of the best of men while they i 



clap's sermon IX 1730. 313 

live here. There will be some remainders of corruption 
cleaving to us while we continue in this mortal state. We 
shall never be perfectly holy in this life, but when we shall 
once get to heaven all sin and Imperfection shall be done 
away and we shall be presented to God without spot or 
blemish. We shall be perfectly cleansed from all those 
defilements which now make us so much unlike unto 
God. We shall then attain unto that perfection in holiness 
which wee so much reached and pressed after in this world ; 
our natures will be so changed, the Image of God will be 
so compleated in us, that nothing contrary to the divine 
purity will remain in all our frame. As every lust will be 
purged out of us, so every grace will be perfected in us. We 
shall perfectly love God and delight in him, our whole 
souUs also shall be intirely devoted to him and to his ser- 
vice forever. One hour in heaven will make us thoro'ly 
perfect. What shall be wanting in our graces to make them 
perfect shall be added to them, for he who hath begun a 
good work in us, will perfect it, in the day of Christ : then 
we shall be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect, and 
holy as he who hath called us is holy ; and as the apostle 
says in the verse following our text, we shall be pure even 
as God is pure — thus will the saints in heaven be like 
God, both in the Immortahty of their natures, and in the 
purity of their souUs. And unless we be thus like God, it 
is impossible that we should be capable of Eternall hapi- 
ness ; we can never bear the blissfull sight of him, nor 
take any pleasure in the enjoyment of him ; for if our 
natures were mortall, we should I3e incapable of seeing 
God ; what was said of Moses is equally true of all man- 
kind in this state of mortality. We cannot see the face of 
God and live. Nothing that is fraill and dying can endure 
27 



814 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

the splendor of so great a glory. Nothing that stands in 
need of continuall reparation, as flesh and blood does, can 
inheritt the Kingdom of God. Nothing therefore but a 
fix'd and Immutable Nature, which can never decay, is 
capable of everlasting happiness, and it is as necessary 
also that our natures should be pure in order to our being 
•happy forever, for the Scriptures assure us that without 
holiness no man shall ever see the Lord. Impure 
soulls cannot relish the joys of heaven, nor take any 
pleasure in the glorious presence of God. The hapiness 
of heaven is no ways suited to the taste of a carnal appe- 
tite. Wicked soulls if they were in heaven could find no 
pleasure there. The blissfull presence of the Lord, would 
be a terror to them, but our soulls must be first purified 
before we can taste the sweetness that there is in the 
pleasures of heaven ; the divine Image must first be in- 
stampt on our natures, before we can take any delight in 
the presence of God ; it is only divine qualities, as one ex- 
cellently observes, that make us fitt company for our 
heavenly father, that make us capable of the Joys of 
heaven and happy in the delights of that glorious place. So 
then upon the whole our being like God in the Immortality 
of our natures and in the purity of our natures is not only 
a great part of our future happiness, but it also wonder- 
fully prepares us for the Blissfull Vision and fruition of 
him, which brings me to the second Generall head, viz : 

2. To shew you that our future Happiness shall also 
Consist in the immediate Vision and fruition of God ; thus 
we are told in our text that we shall hereafter see God as 
He is, we shall not only be like him, but we shall see him 
as he is. It is but a little we see and know of God in 
this world, compared with what we shall arrive unto in the 



clap's sermox in 1730. 315 



other world. We have now but an imperfect and unsatis- 
factory sight of God thro' the Glass of his word and works. 
We see but the shadow of him or as the apostle speaks we see 
him but thro' a Glass darkly, but in heaven we shall have 
a perfect and soull satisfying vision of him. We shall see 
him face to face ; we shall know even as we are known ; 
we shall see him as he is. I>ut here how to unfold this 
Vision of God or how to give you the full sense and mean- 
ing of these most significant words, I suppose it is impos- 
sible for me or any one else to do in this state of mortality ; 
But however I would as briefly and as plainly as I can 
offer my tho'ts on this mysterious head, and that both neg- 
atively and positively. 

1. First, negatively, This immediate Vision of God or 
our seeing him as he is does not imply any corporeal sight 
of him, or our seeing his essence with our bodily Eyes, for 
God is a pure Spirit and cannot be the object of bodily 
sight ; a Spirit is not to be perceived by any corporeal sense , 
for as Christ told his disciples, a spirit hath not flesh and 
bones, as they saw him have, and in Col. 1. 15, God is 
expressly stiled the Invisible God, and we read in I. John 
4. 12, that no man hath seen God at any time, i. e., with 
his bodily eyes, and to the same purpose we read, i. Tim. 
6. 16, that God only hath Immortality, dwelling in the 
light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath 
seen nor can see, from which text it is easie to observe 
that the Essence of God is absolutely invisible to a bodily 
eye and therefore there neither will nor can be such a 
sight of him in heaven. Indeed the saints in heaven with 
their bodily Eyes see the Glorified man Christ Jesus. They 
will see Christ Glorified in our Natures, will see his person 
as sensibly as they will see one anothers persons, after they 



316 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

have received their resurrection bodies. Such a sensible 
sight of Christ with his bodilj Eyes, holj Job expected 
with an assurance of faith ; see Job 19. 25, 26, 27, I know 
that mj Redeemer hveth, and that he shall stand at the 
latter day upon the Earth, and tho' after mj skin worms 
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I 
shall see for myself and mine Eyes shall behold and not 
another, tho' my reins be consumed within me ; but tho' 
the saints shall with their bodily Eyes behold the Glorified 
body of Christ, and shall see the Lamb of God seated 
upon his throne. Yet they shall not have any sensible 
Vision of the Essence of God, for he is such a pure Spirit, 
that it is impossible that he should be discerned with the 
bodily Eye. 

2. Again, Secondly, our seeing God as he is does not 
imply that we shall in heaven have a perfect and compre- 
hensive sight of God, for God is an Infinite being and 
cannot be comprehended by any finite understanding, he 
is incomprehensible, hence those lofty expressions of Zo- 
phar may be as well adapted to the state of the saints in 
glory as they were once unto Job upon Earth, Job ii. 7, 
8,9, Canst thou by searching find out God ? Canst thou 
find out the Almighty unto perfection ? It is as high as 
heaven. What canst thou do ? Deeper than hell. What 
canst thou know ? the measure thereof is longer than the 
Earth and broader than the sea. There is but a little por- 
tion that is seen or heard of God, by the brightest Created 
Intelligence in heaven. It is impossible that ever finite 
should comprehend Infinite, and after the largest discov- 
eries of God that ever will be made to the saints in heav- 
en, yet there will be infinitely more unseen and unknown 
of God than they will ever see and know of him. So that 



clap's sermon in 1730. 317 

the Vision of God in heaven does not imply a perfect com- 
prehensive sight of him. 

2. But I proceed to say now secondly positively, we 
shall have an Intellectuall vision of God ; tho' we shall nev- 
er be able to comprehend God fully, nor to see him with 
our bodily eyes yet we shall have an intellectual vision of 
him. We shall have an immediate sight of God by the un- 
derstanding, for the understanding is the eye of the soull, 
and by it the soull, properly speaking, performs its vision, 
and by it we shall see and know God. In this life our 
understandings are easiely over-born by the lustre and 
excellency of an object, hence it was that God said to 
Moses, when he so earnestly desired to see his face, that 
he could not see him and live : Exod. 33 : 18, 20, And 
Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy Glory, and he said 
thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me 
and live. So transcendant and glorious a sight would 
quite overwhelm and overcome our faculties ; as the light of 
the sun, if we look stedfastly and directly upon it, will dazle 
and blind the strongest eye. The sight of so glorious a being 
as God is, of so much excellency and hapiness and perfec- 
tion, as Concenter in him, would fill us with joy and won- 
der, too great for fraill mortality to bear. But in the state 
of Glory, the eye of our soulls, i. e., our understanding 
faculty shall be enlarged unto that capacity and purified to 
that clearness, and elevated to that strength, as to be able 
in a great measure to receive and bear the lustre and glory 
of the divine nature, and we shall be so far from beuig op- 
pressed and burthened with the presence of God and from 
sinking under the weight of his glory, that we shall be 
infinitely ravished and dehghted with it. Our understandings 
being raised and advanced, God will make glorious exhibi- 
27* 



318 THE MIXISTRT OF TAr>TO\'. 

tions of himself to onr soulls. He will infinitely condesend 
to OUT finite capacities ; he will, savs one, accommodate his 
glory to the weaker eye and shallow apprehension of a poor 
finite being, otherwise it would be impossible for the soull, 
tho' enlarged and elevated to the highest pitch, to know 
and converse with God. for after aU our exaltation in heav- 
en, wee shall remain but finite creatures and must be 
treated as such. 

1. But to be a little more perticular here. Our seeing 
God as he is, implies in it that we shall have a very clear, 
distinct and perfect vision of God. We shaU know even as 
we are known : as Goi knows us so we shaU then know 
him. as to the truth and certainty of our knowledge. In- 
deed we shall not know GcA as fully as he knows us for 
this is imp:>ssible. Fmite cannot comprehend Infinite, but 
what we shall know of God, shall be with as great certain- 
ty as he knows us. TVe shall have very clear apprehensions 
of the nature and perfections of God and shall see and 
know xmspeakably more of him, than ever we are capable 
of in this world. Such will be the clearness of our knowl- 
edge, that it wiU intirely free us from all errors and mis- 
takes about him. We are now many times at a loss, what 
conceptions to have of God, we are hard put to it, to rec- 
oncile one perfection of God with another, and to make 
them consistent and agree together, but in heaven we shall 
see the most perfect harmony between them and that the 
seeming discord which we imagined to be between them was 
owing to nothiug but our ignorance and darkness ; there are 
manv things, while we are in this world, by reason of dark- 
ness, appear so intricate and misterious, that we know 
not what satisfactory account to mve of them, but in hea- 
ven they will be so clearly revealed to our understandings. 



clap's seemox IX 1730. 819 

tliat Ave shall no longer be at a loss how to think: or what 
to saj of them ; we shall be able to pry as deep into those 
profound mysteries of our holy religion, a Trinity of per- 
sons in the Unity of the Godhead and the Incarnation of 
the Son of God as is needfull for any creature to know or 
lawfull to desii'e. We shall also be able to search into the 
misteries of oui* redemption and discover the amazing 
depths of di^-ine grace appearing in it, we shall also see as 
far as we can wish, into the reasons of God's decrees and 
be fully satisfied why God pitched upon some to be vessels 
of mercv and left others to be vessels of wi*ath ; whv he 
made choice of these very persons and past by others, as 
p:ood bv nature as thev. And as the misteries of Grace 
so all the dark scenes of providence will be unriddled to 
us. God's judgments in this world, are many times a 
great deep and imsearchable and his ways past finding out. 
God's deahngs with us and with others, seem sometimes 
to be unaccoimtable, and we can no way reconcile them to 
his Justice and holiness, but in heaven it will be all cleai-ed 
up imto us and we shall be satisfied that all God's provi- 
dences, how dark and difficult soever they may have ap- 
peared to us were all ordered and dii'ected by Infinite wis- 
dom and councill. ^Ii'. Flavell says that the misteries of 
the Scriptures and providences of God, wiU be no miste- 
ries then. Curiosity itself will be there satisfied. The 
Glorified mind antII see clearly into all the secrets of natui-e 
the wonders of Providence, the misteries of redeeming 
Grace and into the hidden reahties of the In^-isible world. 
In a word m heaven we shall have such clear apprehensions 
of God and his ways, that we shall forever admii-e his 
wisdom, holmess. Justice, goodness and truth, and shall 
say of him and to him, thy ways are not as our ways, nor 



320 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 

thy thoughts as our thought, but as the heavens are high 
above the earth, so are thy ways above our ways and thy 
thoughts above ours. 

2. Agam, secondly. Our seeing God as he is, implies 
in it our seeing of him as our own God and proper portion ; 
to see God would be no comfort to us, unless we could 
look upon him as our own God ; holy Job could say, Job 
19. 27, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall 
behold and not for another, to look upon him as anothers 
God would not satifie us, but if we can look upon him as 
our own God and proper portion forever, this will fill us 
with unspeakable joy. Sight without Interest is hke the 
light of a Glowworm, hght without heat. It is only that 
sight of God, which assures us of our interest in him, that 
will satisfie us and make us happy. Balaam saw Christ 
by a spirit of prophecy, but he had no comfort because he 
had no interest in him. The wicked shall see God, but 
not with joy but with weeping Eyes and Gnashing teeth, 
because they cannot see him as their Lord. It is only 
seeing God and Christ as ours that will afford us true and 
solid comfort. This is what good men have desired, pray- 
ed and panted for, in this world, but have not attained to 
it ; what would they not have given, to have been assured 
that God was their God, and that Christ was their Saviour 
and redeemer, but when they come to heaven they shall 
see and be satisfied that God is their ovm God, and Christ 
is the everlasting portion of their souUs. In this world 
good men are many times in doubt about their spirituall 
state, God hides his face from them, and they are filled 
with darkness and distress, but in heaven all clouds fears 
and darknesses shall be dispelled, there will be no hidings 
of Gods face any more, but then they shall have such an 



clap's sermon m 1730. 321 

assurance of their Interest in God, that they shall behold 
him with the highest pleasure and delight, and shall never 
more be disquieted upon that account so as to hinder their 
jojs in the Lord. Again thirdly, 

3. Our seeing God as he is implies in it that we shall 
see him with love and dehght ! the children of God do now 
love him whom they have not seen any other way than by 
an eye of faith, how then will they love him when they 
shall come to see him as he is, and find that not one half 
of his glory was told them. Love enters in at the eye, 
and is maintained and increased by frequent sight. The 
first sight ef God in heaven will draw away our soulls to 
him as a greater flame doth a less, and w^e shall feel our 
hearts afiected in such a wonderfull manner as they never 
were before. Li this world our soulls move towards God 
in a slow and dull manner, but in heaven they will run to- 
wards him with an exceeding quickness like the chariots of 
Aminadab, we shall then be filled with the most ardent 
flames of love to God. The apostle tell us i. John, 4. 16, 
God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth m God. 
As iron put into the fire becomes all fiery, so the soull dwel- 
ling in the God of love, becomes all love, all delight, all 
joy, &c., the soulls of the saints ui heaven do mount up 
in a mighty flame of love, they love God superlatively 
and above all things. Such is the love and delight which 
we shall then have in God, as one excellently observes, that 
if the perfection of that state would admit of shame and 
sorrow, we should blush and mourn in heaven to think how 
cold our love and how low our delights in God were here 
upon the Earth, for then our soulls shall feel amazing tran- 
sports of love, our hearts will melt and dissolve in love, 
when they shall feel the perpendicular beam, of creating, 



322 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

electing, redeeming and preserving love, powerful! beating 
upon them ; our love to God will be inexpressible when we 
shall come to see him as he is. Again fourthly, 

4. The Vision which we shall have of God in heaven, 
will be an assimilating vision ; It will be such a sight of 
God as will transform us into the nearest possible likeness 
to him ; this vision carries a transforming power with it ; 
we shall be like God, says our text, for we shall see him 
as he is ; as likeness to God prepares us for the sight of 
him, so the blissfull sight of him begetts hkeness to him. 
Our soulls here being sanctified and renewed by grace, 
when they come to behold the glorious face of God in hea- 
ven, they will immediately be changed into his blessed 
imacce. Indeed the imaore of God is bef2;un in us in this 
life, but it will be perfected in heaven ; one sight of the 
glory of God, will cause all carnality and sin and every- 
thing that is contrary to the image of God to vanish out 
of the souU and an intire frame of holiness to succeed ; 
the apostle assures us, that the faint vision which the saints 
in this world have of God, by faith, does daily transform 
them more aiid more into his likeness, ii Cor. 3. 16 ; much 
more will the open and immediate vision of God in heaven 
transform us into his blessed image, as the heavens over 
our heads, as soon as ever they behold the rising sun are im- 
mediately transformed into its likeness, and turned into a 
region of light, so when we shall be brought to see the 
glory of the Lord, we shall be filled with it, and shall be 
made all glorious. Again fifthly, 

5. The vision of God in heaven or our seeing of him as 
he is, implies in it, a full enjoyment of God. Sight im- 
phes enjoyment ; to see a friend is to enjoy him, the plea- 
sure of his company and conversation ; so the sight of God 



clap's sermon in 1730. 323 

Implies Comunion and fellowship with him. To see God face 
to face Implies Intimate Comunion and Converse with him. 
Now there can be no greater hapiness, than to enjoy God ; 
this is the perfection of hapiness ; to have fellowship with 
angels and scraphims, is not so great a hapiness, as to have 
Comunion with the blessed God, who is the chiefcst good, 
and best of beings ; as to be without God, and forever ban- 
ished his presence, is an unspeakable misery, nothing less 
than an hell of misery, so to have God for our God, and 
to have intimate converse with him is an heaven of hapi- 
ness. All possible hapiness that w^e can desire or wish for is 
implied in our enjoyment of God. How did holy David tri- 
umph, in that enjoyment of God which he had in this life, 
which as one words it, is but a cluster of grapes to the 
heavenly Canaan. It made him to say as in Ps. 73. 25, 
whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon 
earth that I desire besides thee. So then, if God enjoyed 
by faith, doth fill the soull with so much hapiness in this 
life, with what ravishing joys shall it be filled withall, when 
it comes to enjoy God by Immediate Vision. If good men 
account themselves happy in the enjoyment of Gods gra- 
cious presence on earth, it will certainly be an unspeak- 
able blessedness to them to enjoy his glorious presence in 
heaven. This is the highest felicity that any mortall creature 
can possibly attain unto. Again, sixthly, 

6. Our seeing God as he is implies in it that we sluiU 
have a soull satisfying sight of him ; hence it is, this Vision 
is usually called by divines the Beatific Vision or the sight 
which will make the subject perfectly blessed and happy. 
Holy David could say, Ps. 17. 15, I shall behold thy face 
in righteousness, I shall be satisfied, when I awake with 
thy likeness. Our souUs in heaven will be perfectly at 



324 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

rest in God ; all their desires will be satisfied, the under- 
standing can know no more, the will can will no more ; the 
reflections of joy, delight and love will be at full rest as 
in their proper Center. That which makes the understand- 
ing, will and affections restless and unsatisfied in all dis- 
coveries and Injojments here, is because the nature of the 
things which we now converse with is limitted and imper- 
fect ; but in heaven God shall be all in all unto the soull, 
for God is an infinite being, and an inexhaustible fountain 
of delights, and in him our soulls may take their fill of 
pleasure. The comforts of this world do rather inflame than 
satisfie the desires of the soull, but the comforts of the 
other w^orld are perfectly satisfying, so that we shall feel 
no uneasiness of desire there. Surely nothing'can be want- 
ino; to satisfie a soull, that both sees God and is like him. 
Here the desires of an Immortall soull terminate, the heart 
can't rise higher than this, for all possible blessedness is 
sum'd up and contained in it ; tho' the soull of man can't 
find any perfect contentment in anything here, but in God 
it will find more than it can wish for, all its longings will 
be satisfied. In a word in the blessed Vision of God, all 
our desires will be bounded, all our apetites perfectly sat- 
isfied and all our capacities completely filled ; for how can 
it be otherwise, seeing our Vision of God does make us 
like him, and to be like God is to be like the best and hap- 
iest of beings. Again seventhly, and lastly, 

7. Our seeing God as he is, implies in it an everlasting 
Vision of him. The apostle tells us we shall be ever with 
the Lord, we shall always dwell in his blessed presence and 
forever behold his glory. In this world the children of 
God, do frequently complain of God, hiding his face from 
them, but there never shall be heard any such complaint 



clap's sermon in 1730. 825 



in heaven, no cloud shall ever rise there to obscure the vis- 
ion of his face, but we shall see him as he is, thro' an end- 
less eternity. This greatlj Inhances the hapiness of our 
heavenly state and makes the Vision of God so delightfall 
and satisfying ; for if our duration in heaven were but for 
a limited time, tho' it were for never so long a period, it 
would wonderfully abate the pleasure we should take in 
being there. It would damp our joys in heaven to think 
that they must come to an end. It would hinder our tak- 
ing" full Satisfaction in them, but this is that which sweet- 
ens to us the pleasures of heaven, that they shall never 
end. This is that which crovv'ns the glory of the heavenly 
world, that it shall never fade away ; our vision and fruition of 
God shall run'parallel with eternity. We shall live with God, 
and have full and ravishing views of him forever and ever. 
Thus I have something largely opened to you the na- 
ture of that vision which the saints will have of God 
in heaven, and shewed you what is imphed in our seeing 
God as he is, and in so domg I have set before you some- 
thing of the unspeakable hapiness of heaven, but how 
great that hapiness is we shall never really know before we 
do come to heaven, for it doth not yet appear what we 
shall be, but when we come to heaven, we shall be ready 
to say of it, as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon's wis- 
dom and prosperity, that half of it hath not been told us, 
for who can say how happy those soulls must needs be, 
who are transformed into the image of God, do beliold his 
blessed face and do everlastingly feast themselves in the 
enjoyment of him. Well therefore might the apostle say, 
Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it entered 
into the heart of man to conceive of those great and glo- 
rious things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 
28 



326 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



The only use wliicli I shall now make of this doc- 
trine, shall be m a word of exhortation. Let iis all be 
exhorted to prepare ourselves for the Blessed Vision and 
fruition of God. This is the main business of our lives, for 
if we do not prepare ourselves for it m this world, we shall 
never be addmitted to it in the next. Indeed we shall all 
have a Vision of God, both good and bad, but with a very 
great difference. The wicked and unprepared will have a 
dreadful sight of him, a sight that will be so far from ren- 
dering them blessed, that it will render them unspeakably 
miserable ; instead of making them rejoice and triumph, 
it will make them to fear and tremble, to mourn and weep. 
Impure souUs are utterly unfitt for Comunion with God, 
there can be no sweet intercourse between 'the holy God 
and impenitent sinners, for what pleasure can God take in 
a soull, all over defiled and stained with sin ; surely none 
at all, for nothing is more loathsome to God than sin, nor 
more hatefull to him than the vforkers of iniquity. So 
that unless we are in some measure by purity and holiness 
prepared for the blissfull sight of him, there can be no 
manner of fellowship between us, for as there is no fellow- 
ship between light and Darkness or between Christ and 
Beliall so there can be none between the holy God and Im- 
pure soulls. The Scripture expressly tells us, Heb. 12. 14, 
that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. As the eye 
distempered with diseased humors, cannot comfortably be- 
hold the sun, so neither can a soull debased with sin with 
any comfort behold the favour of God. That Vision of 
God, as a learned divine observes, which is an heaven to 
God-hke soulls, is an hell to wicked ones ; it would chase 
them out of heaven, if they were in it, and cause them to 
file away, from the glory of it, as Batts and Owlls, do 



clap's sermon in 1730. 327 

from the light of the sun, and of then- own accord to wrap 
their gniltj heads in the shades of Eternall Darkness and 
Dispair. Wicked Spirits cannot Endure the Glorious pres- 
ence of the Lord, whoso natures are so infinitely disagree- 
able to his ; yea heaven itself would not be a happy place 
to Impure soulls ; their natures are so contrary to the hap- 
iness of that place, that it would be impossible for them to 
take any pleasure or satisfaction in the enjoyment of it ; 
the Delights of heaven are so pure and spirituall, that 
Carnall hearts have no manner of taste or relish for them. 
So that if a sinner could by any means steall into heaven, 
into the Blissfull sight and presence of God, he would from 
the evil temper and disposition of his own mind, be ex- 
treamly miserable even in the mansions of the blessed, for 
the same depraved a^nd vicious minds, which w^e carry out 
of this world with us, we shall retain in the next ; If we 
are wicked and unholy, or if we are righteous and holy, 
when we leave this world, so we sh-all continue forever. It 
is true indeed, heaven perfects those holy and virtuous 
dispositions which are begun in us in this life. But the 
other world alters no man as to his main state. He that is 
filthy will be filthy still, and he that is unrighteous will be 
unrighteous stiU. If we do not in some good measure, 
mortifie our lusts and passions here, death will not kill 
them for us, but w^e shall carry them with us into the other 
world ; and if God should admit us into heaven, we should 
be far from being happy, for we should meet with nothing 
there, to Gratifie and please our sensuall appetites and 
Vicious Inclinations, for as the apostle speaks in another 
sense, the kingdom of heaven, is not meats and drinks, but 
righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost. There is 
nothing in heaven suitable to the desires and cravings of a 



328 THE MIXISTHY UF TAUXTON. 

wicked man. He would pine and famish ; amidst the plenty 
of delights which that place abounds withall, for all the 
jojs and pleasures of the heayeniy world are purely spir- 
ituall, and can be rehshed by none but only those who 
have purified themselves as God is pure. Heaven is too 
pure an air for corrupt souils to live and breathe in, and 
the whole employment and conversation of that place is 
both unsuitable and unacceptable to sensuall and vicious 
persons. So that you see how necessary purity and holi- 
ness is, to qualifie us for the blissfull sight of God, and for 
the enjoyments of heaven. how carefull should we all 
be in our preparations for another world, so that whenever 
we leave this, we may be quahned to dwell in Gods pres- 
ence forever, in whose presence there is fulness of joy and 
at Yfhose right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Let 
sinners seek a renovation of their natures, a change of 
their hearts and lives. Let them beg the Spiiit of God to 
renew them after the divine image, to change them from 
sin to grace, for without hohness none shall ever see the 
Lord with comfort. xVnd let the children of God seek 
after greater measures of sanctification, and endeavour to 
cleanse themselves more and more from all filthiness of 
flesh and spirit, and to carry holmess on to perfection in 
the fear of God. Li a word if you would please God and 
live with him and be happy forever press after holiness. 
There is nothing that will stand you in so much stead as 
holiness. Riches and honours, wisdom and knowledge are 
not comparable to holiness, for you may be rich and great 
in this world, and yet miss of heaven ; you may be wise and 
learned and yet miss of heaven ; but if you are holy it is 
impossible that you should miss of heaven. God can as 
soon deny himself as shut an holy soull out of heaven ; 



I 



clap's sermon in 1730. 329 

therefore strive after holiness, seek for it as silver and 
search for it as hid Treasure. With all your Gettings labor 
to get this true and spirituall wisdom, for the merchandise 
of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain 
thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies ; 
and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compar- 
ed unto her ; Length of days is in her right hand and in 
her left riches and honour ; her ways are ways of pleasant- 
ness and all her paths are peace ; she is a tree of life to 
them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that 
retaineth her. Wherefore, Dearly Beloved, as the apostle 
Exhorts, cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of flesh and 
spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God ; put off the 
old man with its lusts and corruptions, and put on the new 
man, which after the image of God, is Created in right- 
eousness and true holiness, and Be ye followers of God as 
dear children, that ye may be holy, Blameless, and sincere, 
the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a Crooked 
and Perverse Generation, and, to have done. Be ye pure as 
God is pure, and holy as he wdio hath called you is holy. 
Be ye perfect even as your heavenly father is perfect, and 
live soberly righteously and Godly in this present evill 
world, so that when you come to die and leave the world, 
an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly, into 
the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ, where we shall have ravishing views of God in glory 
and shall be satisfied with his likeness forever. 

Preached at Taunton ; 

" at Attleboro' ; 
" at Bristol. 



28* 



330 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



CHAPTER VII. 

REV. JOSIAH CROCKER, THE SIXTH MINISTER OF 
TAUNTON. 

After the dismission of Mr. Clap in 1738, a few years 
elapsed, before the town could unite upon a successor. It 
was during this period, probably, whilst there was a vacan- 
cy in the pastoral office, that a new church organization 
took its rise in town, a more minute account of which will 
be found in the appendix to this chapter.^ 

Mr. John Guild, afterwards settled in the ministry in 
New-Jersey, received a call from the church in Taunton, 
which he declined. Rev. Gilbert Tennent, one of the 
most eminent preachers of the last century, occupied the 
pulpit several Sabbaths, and awakened a general interest. 
It was not till the former part of the year 1742, a candi- 
date appeared, who received and accepted a call to occupy 
the place of a Gospel minister in Taunton. 

Rev. Josiah Crocker was the successor of Hooke, Street, 
Shove, Danforth, Clap, and thus the sixth Pastor and 
Preacher of this ancient town. The history of the name 
and early ancestry of Mr. Crocker are kindly furnished 
by J. Wingate Thornton, Esq., allied by marriage to the 
family. 

The house of Croker or Crocker, originally seated at 

* Note A. 



JOSIAH CllOClvER. 331 



Croker's Hele and Crokern Foe, in Devonshire, -was a 
family so ancient, that an old proverbial distich records 
that 

' Ci'oker, Crewys, and Copplestone, 

' When the Conqueror came, were at home.' 

They became, possessed of Lineham by marriage with the 
heiress of Churchill. The genealogy of Croker of Line- 
ham is accurately recorded by Prince, Risdon, and Pole, 
and exhibits a descent of eleven John Crockers in almost 
uninterrupted succession. The last male of the elder 
branch was Courtenay Croker, Esq. The male line how- 
ever VN^as preserved by Thomas Croker of Tre villas, in 
Cornwall, second son of the eighth John Croker of Line- 
ham, who obtained in about 1600, the estate of Bally an- 
ker, County of Waterford, and while the eldest son remain- 
ed at Tre villas, his youngest sons, to the number of three 
or four, migrated to Ireland. They were all probably sol- 
diers; two of them, at least, were so, and distinguished 
themselves by the extraordinary and almost romantic 
capture of the city of Waterford in 1650. They were 
ancestors of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker, and of 
Thomas Crofton Croker, Esq., the well known literary 
gentlemen. The family coat of arms was, argent a chev- 
ron engrailed gules, between three ravens proper. Some 
of the name, settled in Cornwall, called the birds ' Cornish 
Choughs,' but this is either an error or a difference : Cro- 
ker of Lineham always bore ' three ravens,' and, having 
obtained Lineham by marriage with the heiress of Church- 
ill, quartered sable, a lion rampant, argent, for that name. 
The general crest of the Croker family is a raven proper. 
Edward lY. granted to Sir John Croker, who accompanied 
him as cup, and standard bearer in his expedition to 



332 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



France in 1475, for Qrest, 'a drinking cup, or, with three 
fleurs of the same, issuing therefrom, and charged with a 
rose.' 3Iottoes, Deus alit eos, and, Je tiendray ma puis- 
sance par 77iafoi.* 

William Croker was in Scituate in 1636, or earlier, and 
removed soon after to Barnstable. John, his brother, was 
there in 1636, in 1651, sold land south-west of the burj- 
ing-ground, near the harbor, to John Whiston, and remov- 
ed to Barnstable, whither William had preceded him. 
William's (not John's, as Deane says) children were Wil- 
liam, born 1637, Elizabeth, born 1639, Samuel, born 1642, 
Job, born 1614, Josiah, born 1647, Eleazer, born 1650, 
Joseph, born 1654.t The fifth child, Josiah, was born at 
Barnstable, 19th of September 1647, and October 22, 
1668, married Melatiah, daughter of Thomas Hinckley, 
Esq., Governor of Plymouth Colony. He died 2d of Feb- 
ruary, 1698 ; his wife survived hun, and died 2d of Feb- 
ruary 1714.$ Josiah Crocker was a member of Capt. 
John Gorham's company in the "Narraganset Battle," in 
1675. He was one of the original proprietors of -Gorham, 
Me., which township was granted Captain Gorham and 
Company for services rendered in this war. Josiah, the 
son of Josiah and Melatiah Crocker, was born February 
8th, 1684, and April 10th, 1718, "was joyned to Desire 
Thacher in marriage." " Desire, daughter of Colonel John 
Thacher, and Lydia Gorham, was born 24th of December, 
1688." "Josiah, (the son of Josiah and Desire Crocker,) 
was born in Yarmouth on the 30th day of October, in ye 
year of our Lord 1719. Desire, daughter of ye above sd 
Josiah and Desire Crocker was born in Yarmouth on ye 

=* Burke's Armory and CQiiimoners. 

t Barnstable Records. 

j Deane 244, Genealogical Register, vol. 2., pp. 66 and 390. 



1 



JOSIAH CROCKER. 333 



17th day of Dec. 1721."* "Mr. Josiah Crocker, late of 
Yarmouth, djecl on board his own vessel, in Samt Mary's 
Harbor, m Annapolis Riall, Oct. ye 10th 1721." "Mrs. 
Desire Crocker, she dyed on ye sixth of May 1722 
[1723 ?] a little before sunrise on a Lord's Day morn- 
ing."t 

The Faculty Records of Harvard College state that 
Josiah Crocker, who was afterwards minister of Taunton, 
was from Yarmouth, and fifteen years of age when he en- 
tered college in 1734 ; which agrees with the Yarmouth 
Records from which we have Cjuoted.J 

Mr. Crocker, the sixth minister of Taunton, was there- 
fore the only son of Josiah and Desire Crocker of Yar- 
mouth. His grandmother was daughter of Gov. Hinck- 
ley, and sister-in-law of Deputy Governor William Brad- 
ford, through him related to Prince, and the Mayhew^s. 
His mother was daughter of Hon John Thacher, grand- 
daughter of Hon. John Howland, and great-grand-daugh- 
ter of Hon. John Carver, the first Governor of Plymouth 
Colony.. Born in 1719, he graduated at Harvard College 
in 1738, when nineteen years of age. He began preach- 
ing on probation at Taunton, August 16th, 1741, and 
about nine months after, was ordained, viz: May 19, 
1742. § He was dismissed from his pastoral charge, Kov- 

* Yarmouth Records, Book v., p. 86., from Amos Otis. E^q., of Yar- 
mouth. 

t Inscriptions in tlie Yarmouth burial-ground. 

t The American Quarterly Register, (vol. 12, pp. 138 and US.) and 
the author of a newspaper sketch of Crocker in 18-33, are in an eiror 
therefore when they state that he was born "in Barnstable in 1722." 
They are wrong both as to the place and the time of his birth. The 
same error appears in the insci'iption on the gravestone. 

§ The action of the town in giving Mr. Crocker a call to settle in the 
ministry has recently come to light amongst the papers of Gen. God- 
frey. It purports to be a '"true copy from ye Town Book, Folio 14, 
exam'd per James "Williams, Town Clerk:" 



334 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

ember 1, 1765, but continued to reside in Taunton till 
Ms death* wliich occurred, according to tlie inscription on 
his stone, August 28, 1774.t He was therefore minister 

"At a town meeting legally warned, and held at ye public meeting 
house in Taunton, on Monday, ye 9f/i day of November, Anno Domini 
1741, The Hon. Scth Williams, Esq., chosen moderator for said meeting. 
1. It was put to vote, whether the town will concur in ye vote of ye 
church, that Mr. Josiah Crocker be their minister, and it passed in ye 
affirmative. The town do accordingly make choice of him to be their 
minister. 

2f%. The question was put by ye moderator, whether ye tOAvn will 
now act on ye second article, mentioned in yc warrant, and it passed in 
ye affirmative. And then it was put to vote, whether ye town will raise 
ye sum of Tvn^o hundred pounds in Bills of public credit on this Prov- 
ince, or either of ye neighboring Colonies, ("accountiug silver money at 
twenty-nine shillings ye ouncej) to be annually paid to him, ye said Mr. 
Josiah Crocker, during his ministry in this town, to enable him to carry 
on ye work of ye ministry amongst us in said town. Voted in ye affir- 
mative." 

Again in 1755, the town for some reason raised an additional sum for 
Mr. Crocker, as appears from the following vote, " Taken from Taunton 
Town Book, Folio 204, and exam'd per James Williams, Town Clerk : 
" At a town meeting legally warned and held at Taunton public meet- 
ing house, the %th of Oct., 1755, Voted, that ye sura of ten pounds be 
raised for ye support of ye Rev. Mr. Josiah Crocker this present year, 
more than ye sum of his yearly contract, and that ye assessors add ye 
same to ja minister's rate." 

^' I have seen the will of Mr. Crocker. It bears date '-Angst 5tk 
1774, in ye 14th year of his Majesty's reign," and was witnessed by 
Charles Barstow, Susannah Tisdale, and James Williams It was 
written by Mr. Crocker himself, who speaks of " hoping in the mercy of 
God, thro' Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of many and aggravated 
sins," of "believing also the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead." 
His widow and children are all particularly named in the disposition of 
his property. To Josiah Crocker he gaveliis "great Bible;" to Joseph 
Crocker, " the Bible called his preaching Bible." President Quincy 
states in his history of Harvard College (vol. 2. p. 49,) that among the 
donations to that Institution " to repair the loss of its Library " were 
books and philosophical apparatus from Josiah Crocker, A. si. 
t The entire inscription is as follows : 

"In memory of 

Mr. Josiah Crocker, 

Pastor of tbe first church 

in Taunton. 

He died August 28th 1774 in 

the 53d year of his age. 

" The memory of the just shall flourish, when they sleep 

in dust." 

There is an important error in the age of Mr. Crocker. He was in 

his "55th year:" The Yarmouth Records, Cambridge College Records, 



JOSIAH CROCKER. 335 



of the town more than twentj-three years. He entered 
upon the work of a Pastor at an early age, and was dis- 
tinguished for his ardor, pathos, persuasive powers, and 
warm-hearted devotion to his calUno;.* It was during; that 
memorable period of New-England's history, which wit- 
nessed the '' Great Awakening," that Mr. Crocker lived 
and labored in Taunton. He entered into the service as- 
signed him with all his soul. Nor were his efforts unat- 
tended with success. In a long letter directed to Rev. 
Mr. Prince of Boston in 1744, he gives a minute account 
of the nature and degree of this success. f He was called 
upon to preach often in neighboring towns. His services 
were highly prized.:!: Persons came from a great distance 
to hear him preach. § From the few fragments of dis- 
courses, || which remain, I should infer his efforts in the 
pulpit were for the most part extemporaneous ; and that 

and an old family record, now in possession of Mrs. Richmond of Taun- 
ton, clearly prove this. On this account we may less regret that the 
old stone has been broken down ; especially as it is soon to be succeed- 
ed by a new one, through the considerate liberality of the Messrs. Crock- 
ers of this town, grandchildren of the minister's eldest son, Josiah. 
The family lot Kkewise on " the Plain," has been recently enclosed with 
a substantial iron fence, at an expense of more than one hundred dollars, 
by Samuel B. King, Esq., connected by marriage with the family. 

* I have frecptcntly heard lion. Samuel Crocker, of this town, a 
grandson of the minister, remark on these characteristics of his ances- 
tor. "He was a most persuasive preaclier," expressed the idea Avhich he 
had of him. Dea. Eddy of Bridgewater, who well remembered the 
sermons of the Taunton minister, once said to Mr. Crocker, that of all 
the preachers he ever heard, none surpassed him, in his earnest, yet ten- 
der, persuasive manner. Chief Justice Parsons made a similar remark, 
after hearing Rev. Mr. Crocker pray and deliver a brief address at a 
Church Conference on " the Cape." 

t Note B. X Note C. 

§ An instance of this has been related to me on this wise. A woman 
who had heard of Crocker's preaching, undertook to travel all the way 
from Plymouth to Taunton with a baby in her arras, to hear him pi-each. 
When her load seemed heavy, and the v/ay long, the course she took to 
comfort herself or the baby, was to cry out, at the top of her voice, 
" Crocker's ahead! Crocker'' s ahead P 

11 Note D. 



83G THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

lie relied upon the excitement of the occasion to supply 
him with the materials of discourse. That he was not de- 
ficient however in clearness of apprehension concerning 
doctrine, and ability to state his views, such as they were, 
is apparent from an article which has long slumbered 
amongst many other time-worn papers in this town, and 
has made its appearance only in season to find a place in 
the appendix to this chapter.* 

Mr. Crocker, like all other ardent, zealous men had 
many friends, and not a few enemies. These last suc- 
ceeded in cutting short the period of his mmistry.f The 
complete history of the dissension and discontent which 
sprung up, cannot now be written. The materials are 
wanting. It is well perhaps that they are irrecoverably 
lost. Traditional accounts may have authorized a writer 
in one of the Taunton papers in 1833, supposed to be Mr. 
Baylies, to say: "Many were displeased that Whitfield 
was permitted by Mr. Crocker, to occupy his pulpit." It 
is well known Whitfield had no sincerer friend in this part 
of the country than the then minister of Taunton. jNIr. 
Crocker in many respects resembled that extraordinary 
man, and some one has suggested as an appropriate epi- 
taph for the former, what Cowper wrote with direct ref- 
erence to the latter : 

•' He lov'd the world tliat hated him ; the tear, 
That dropp'd upon his Bible, was sincere : 
Assailed by scandal and the tongue of strife, 
His only answer, vras a blameless life." 

Mr. Crocker lived in what to this day is called " the 

Parsonage," southeast of the village, on Barnum Street, 

and in the rear of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. He was twice 
_____ ______ 



JOSIAH CROCKER. 337 



married. His first wife was Rebecca, daughter of Eben- 
ezer Allen, who was born at Tisbmy, Dukes County, Mar. 
1, 1672, and married Rebecca, daughter of Rev. Mr. 
Russell, of Hadley, April 4, 1G98. The following memo- 
rial of the first wife of Mr. Crocker is on " the Plain ": 
'' Here lyes the body of Mrs. Rebecca Crocker, wife of the 
Rev. Josiah Crocker, Pastor of the Church in this town, 
born July 22, 1721, died Sept. 28th, 1759. Sleep, pre- 
cious ashes, till thy Savior calls." 

I have seen an account of Mr. Crocker's second mar- 
riage in his Family Bible, and in his own handwriting : 
'^ Attleboro', Nov. 5th, 1761. There were Josiah Crocker 
and ]Mrs. Hannah Cobb joyned together in ye solemn cov- 
enant of marriage at her Father's by ye Hon. George 
Leonard, Esq. May God's countenance shine upon us. 
Rev. Mr. Thacher made ye first prayer, and [the chirog- 
raphy is obscure, but looks like] gave advice. Col. Leon- 
ard declared us married according to law, and Rev. Mr. 
Weld made last prayer." The second Mrs. Crocker was 
dauo'hter of Col. Thomas,* and sister of Hon. David Cobb, 
sister also of the wife of Hon. Robert Treat Paine. 

Mr. Crocker's children by the first marriage were Josi- 
ah, Benjamin, Allen, Joseph, William, Ebenezer, and Re- 
becca. His children by the second marriage I find re- 
corded by himself thus : " Oct. 3d, 1762, Leonard Crock- 
er was born, about 3 o'clock, Lord's Day morning, and I 
baptized him ye same day. Oct. 18th, 1765, Hannah 
was born, and baptized by me next Lord's Day." 

Of the sons, Benjamin, Allen, Ebenezer and Leonard 
never married. Benjamin was a schoolmaster, and sea- 

* Col. Thomas Cobb married Lyclia, the eldest daughter of James 
the son of James, the son of James"", the son of Thomas Leonard. 

29 



338 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

captain. He died at Machias, Nov. 8, 1797. Ebenezer 
entered the army, and became a military character. Al- 
len was a wealthy broker in Boston. Leonard was a mer- 
chant, and lived in Taunton. He owned the land at the 
corner of Summer and Deane Streets, including the Acad- 
emy lot. His mother, Widow Hannah Crocker, lived with 
Leonard, after the decease of Mr. Crocker, till her remov- 
al to the house of her son-in-law. Major Bowles, in iNIachias. 

William was well, though not liberally educated, and 
married Brown of Portland, Me. He had one child. 

Joseph graduated at Harvard University in 1774, and 
married a daughter of Rev. Samuel Mather, s.t.d., a.a.s., 
of Boston.* He was captain of a company in the Revolution- 
ary War. He died Nov. 13, 1797. Hannah married Ralph 
Hart Bowles, Esq., of Machias, Me., distinguished in the 
Revolution, of the family of Hon. John Bowles, Elder Isaac 
Heath and the Apostle Eliot of Roxbury. Hannah, his wife, 
according to the testimony of one who knew her well, " was 
a lady of great usefulness, many virtues, and distinguished 
energy of character." She died at Roxbury, July 10, 1817, 
ao-ed 82, and was buried at Mount Auburn, in the lot of 
her son S. J. Bowles. Their son, Stephen J. Bowles, Esq., 
an opulent merchant of ]\Iachias and Roxbury, married 
Elizabeth Thorndike Wallis, whose daughter, Elizabeth 
Wallis Bowles married J. Wingate Thornton, Esq., of Bos- 
ton ; another daughter, Hannah Crocker Bowles, married 
Rev. Philip Wolff, of Montreal, Canada. 

Another son, Leonard Crocker Bowles, who resides in 
Boston, married Catharine Cushing, daughter of Martin 

* Two of their children, Allen and Rebecca, died unmarried. Their 
dauf^htcr Hannah, married a Parker. A son named Samuel Mather 
Crocker, graduated at Harvard University in 1801, settled as a lawyer 
in Uxbridge, of this State, and died the last year. 



JOSIAII CROCKER. 339 



Lincoln, Esq., and grand-daughter of the late Gen. Benj. 
Lincohi ; and their daughter jMary Ehzabcth married Wil- 
liam Crosby, of the firm of Crosby & Nichols, Boston. 

Rebecca, daughter of Bev. JMr. Crocker by his first 
marriage, married George Stillman, of Machias, Me. 
Their daughter Ehzabeth, married, (1) James Otis Lin- 
coln, of Hingham ; (2) Hon.. James Savage of Boston. 

Their daughters Sally and Rebecca married Ilill- 

ard, the father of Hon. George S. Hillard of Boston. 
Their sons Allen, George and Samuel settled in Virginia. 
Rebecca, the mother of the above named children, died in 
Machias, Feb. 5, 1799. 

Josiah, the eldest of Rev. Mr. Crocker's children, set- 
tled in Taunton. Born Oct. 30, 1742, Josiah married 
Abigail, daughter of Hon. Zephaniah Leonard.* She was 
born May 19, 1742, and died Oct. 23, 1800. Her hus- 
band survived her, continuing until Feb. 24, 1808. He 
served in the army, in the time of the Revolution, com- 
manding a company stationed at Newport. He was also 
deputy-Sheriff. His house was on the lot adjoining the 
Taunton Hotel, where now the Library Building stands. 
The children of Josiah and Abigail were as follows : Abi- 
gail, who married John West, Esq. Samuel, who married 
(1, in 1794,) Sally, daughter of Apollos Leonard, Esq., a 
graduate of Yale College in 1765, a descendant of Hon. 
Thomas Leonard, and both Town and County Treasurer 
for a term of years ; (2, in 1811,) Elizabeth, daughter of 
Doct. Wm. Baylies of Dighton. WiUiam Augustus, who 

* Hon. Zephaniah Leonard was the eldest sou of Stephen, the son of 
James, the son of James, the son of Thomas Leonard. He was Major, 
and in 1761, was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, 
which office he held till liis death. His son, Col. Zephaniah, and grand- 
son, Horatio tilled the office of High Sheriff of Bristol County for more 
than seventy years. 



340 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



married Sallj, daughter of Capt. Jonathan Ingell, resided 
in Taunton, and died Sept. 20, 1805. His house was on the 
street from the Green to the Depot, near the site of the new 
ConOTeiT-ational Church. Rebecca and Josiah, the remain- 
ing children of Josiah, the eldest son of the mmister, died 
early. 

Hon. Samuel Crocker, the eldest son of Josiah, and 
grandson of the minister, succeeded his father-in-law, 
Apollos Leonard, Esq., as Town and County Treasurer, 
and acted in that capacity twenty-five years. He was 
member of the House of Eepresentatives four years, from 
1809 to 1813 ; a member of the Senate the same length 
of time from 1813 to 1817. He was also a Councillor of 
the Commonwealth under Gov. Brooks.* But it is more 
particularly as a manufacturer he has been distinguished, 
having been for a long course of years the senior partner 
of the firm, first of Crocker, Bush & Richmond,! and af- 
terwards of Crocker & Richmond, which by its large 
amount of capital employed, and extensive business opera- 
tions, procured for Taunton in the earlier part of this cen- 
tury, the reputation of being one of the largest manufac- 
turing towns in the State. J To Mr. Crocker, who still 

=^ It raiti'lit be added that Mr. Crocker has been one of the earliest and 
most devoted friends and patrons of Bristol Academy. Eor more than 
forty years he filled the ofiicc of Trustee, and acted as its principal 
finanical agent. 

t Tliomas Bush married Mary, daughter of Samuel, son of Major 
Zephaniah Leonard. He died many years ago. Charles Richmond 
married (1) the widow of William Augustus Crocker, who was daugh- 
ter of Jonathan Ingell; (2) the widow of Samuel Cooke Fales, who was 
daughter of John West; (3) the widow of David G. W. Cobb, who was 
daughter of Samuel Crocker. He died a year or two since in California. 

X The most extensive manufacturing establishment which originated 
with this company, in connection with ca])iialists in Boston and else- 
where, was the " Calico Print Works," which date back to a period prior 
to anything of the kind in this country. 

If to James and Henry Leonard belongs the honor of having set up 
in 1652 the " first bloomary " in the Plymouth colony, if not (^as Dr. Fobes 
observes, but Wm. R. Deane in his notice of the Leonard family ques- 



JOSIAH CROCKER. 341 



survives, belongs the honor of having originated the plan of 
a rural Cemetery in town, and toward this object he sev- 
eral years since made the donation of a valuable part of 
his estate, now consecrated as a burial place, and known 
in this community as jMount Pleasant Cemetery. Its 
principal eminence is called Mount Crocker. The children 
of Mr. Crocker are Maria, who married Thomas Bicknell ; 
Sally, who married Samuel Bass King, Esq ; Abby, who 
married (1) David G. W. Cobb, son of Gen. Cobb, (2) 
Charles Richmond. William Augustus Crocker, the sec- 
ond son of Josiah, and grandson of the minister, w^as the 
father of William Allen Crocker, Samuel Leonard Crocker, 
and George Augustus Crocker, who, under the name of 
Crocker & Brothers, are extensively engaged in the man- 
ufactures of the place. The first two were graduates of 
Brown University in 1822. William Allen married Fran- 
ces Thomas. Samuel Leonard married (1) Hannah 
Thomas, (2) Caroline Thomas, all sisters, and daughters 
of Isaiah, the son of Isaiah Thomas, Esq., of Worcester. 
George Augustus married Helen Gordon, daughter of 
Dr. Gordon, recently of Taunton. He prepared himself 
for business in the office of his uncle, Hon. Samuel Crocker. 

tions) in North America, and if through them, Taimton claims not only 
the earliest and best herring-, but the first and best Iron Works in all 
the region ; equally certain is it, that before a single stone was laid, or 
mill stai'ted in the city of Lowell, the enterprise of Crocker, Richmond 
and their associates, had commenced " Prii t Works" in the town of 
Taunton, which commanded a capital of half a million, employed more 
than three hundred men, and introduced a thousand people to the place. 
The Company received a Medal for their fabrics in 1826, from the "New- 
England Society for promoting manufactures and the mechanic arts," 
which was alike complimentary to them and the town. 



29* 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER SEVEN. 



Note A. Page 330. 

Mr. Baylies in his Historical Memoirs (4tli part, pp. 82, 
83,) makes the followiug statement: 

"Thomas Coram, the founder of the Foundling Hospital in 
the city of London, was settled at Taunton, previous to 1G02 ; 
it is certain he was there but a short time afterwards. He own- 
ed a farm on the river a little below the AVeir bridge, now with- 
in the limits of Berkley, where he constructed vessels probably 
for the Newfoundland fishery. He left Taunton in 1703. The 
disposition which he made of his farm exhibits a striking and 
characteristic trait of his benevolence and of his prejudices; he 
conveyed it to the vestrymen of the church of England in Bos- 
ton, namely, his Excellency Joseph Dudley, his honor, Thomas 
Povey, Su' Charles Hobby, Francis Foxcraft, Esq., William 
Taylor, Esq., John Nelson, Esq., Edward Lloyd, Esq., Mr. 
Nicholas Roberts, Capt. Cyprian Southack, Thomas Newton, 
Esq., and several others, their successors, etc., in trust, "that 
if ever hereafter the inhabitants of the town of Taunton should 
be more civilized than they now are, and if they should incline 
to have a church of England built amongst them, or in that 
town, then upon the application of the inhabitants of said town, 
that is to say, forty rateable men of them, upon their applica- 
tion or petition to the said vestry, or their successors, for any 
suitable part of said land to build a church of England, or a 
school house for the use and service of said church;" the vestry 
were authorized to convey the whole or a part," as they should 
see good for their purpose." 



PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 343 

Rev. N. T. Bent, Rector of the St. Thomas' Church of this 
town, in a discourse historical of that church, in 1844, gives us 
the date of Thomas Coram's deed, viz: "Dec. 8th, 1703." 
In it he is described as being "of Boston, in New-England, 
sometimes residing in Taunton, in the county of Bristol — ship- 
wright." The land he conveyed, consisted of fifty-nine acres. 
The vestrj^men of King's Chapel, Boston, sold it in 1754, to 
Stephen Burt, for £100; which sum of money was applied, I 
know not on what principle of interpreting language, not to the 
purpose of building a "church of England" in Taunton, but 
the very different purpose of "rebuilding King's Chapel," in 
Boston; and this notv/ithstanding some of " the inhabitants of 
Taunton" had become so far "civilized," as to "incline to 
have a church of England amongst them," although possibly 
not to the number of "forty rateable men."* 

Althougli Coram's first donation to the Church of England 
in Taunton was not- available, he did not forget it, but forward- 
ed from London many valuable books, some of which remain to 
this day. He obtained the donation of a "Book of Common 
Prayer," whicli exhibits the following entry on its title page : 
"This Book of Common Prayer is given by the Right Hon. 

* That there Averc not '" forty," the requisite number to claim the 
fund, may he inferred from the document which follows, one of the pa- 
pers discovered in Brig. Gen. Godfrey's house, and dated the year fol- 
lowing the sale of Coram's land l)y the vestrymen of Boston : 

" At a Town meeting Legally^ Warned & held at Taunton Publick 
meeting house ye 26th of August, a. d. 1755, The moderator chosen for 
said meeting was Samiiel AVhite, Esq. 

5thly. Voted that the several persons Inhabitants of Taunton profes- 
ing themselves members of ye Church of England be exempt from pay- 
ing towards ye Rev. Mr. Crocker, support as to his sallary and other 
mmisterial Charges in said Town Respecting ye Prespeterian worship as 
uer their application on file which is as follows : 
To the Selectmen of ye Town of Taunton in ye County of Bristol m 

New-England. Gentlemen : 

"Whereas we the subscribers and members of sd Church have been as- 
sesed to ye salary or Tax of ve Revd. Mr. Crocker for many years past 
(the Last year only excepted) therefore Ave pray you Avould Insert our 
Earnest Desire in your next Avarrant for a ToAvn meeting, Viz : That 
Ave your petitionours be exempted from being assesed or Taxen to ye sal- 
lary of said Mr. Crocker ; and from all ministeral Charges in ye Pres- 
peterian or Congregational way (so Called) and Considermg we your 



844 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTOX. 



Arthur Onslow, Esq., Speaker of tlio Hon. House of Commons 
of Great Britain — one of his Majesty's most Hon. Privy Coun- 
cil and Treasurer of his Majesty's Navy, &c. To Thomas Co- 
ram of Lonlon, Grent. — -for the use of a Church lately built at 
Taunton in New-England." The date of this donation was 
1742. The " Church lately built" to which allusion is made, 
was in the westerly part of the town, not far from Oakland, 
and nearly opposite the birth-place of Judge Wilde. It was 
on "the Globe," which by deed bearing date March 19th, 1743, 
was conveyed to the Wardens of the Church and their associ- 
ates. "The Glebe" was purchased by subscription " for the 
sole benefit and profit of the Rector, for the time being of the 
church of St. Thomas, standing near Three mile river in Taun- 
ton." The subscribers to "the Glebe" were twenty-six, to the 
amount of £528, 10 shillings. Thomas Cobb was the largest 
donor, his subscription amounting to £120. 

petitionors are at a vast Charf^e in ye supporting ye worship of God 
amongst ourselves and as in Duty Bound shall ever Pray. 
Dated Taunton July 31st 1755. 



]Moro-an Cobb, 2d, 
Nath'll Burt, 
Abraham Burt, 
Ebenczer Harvey, 
Thomas Bm-t, 2d, 
James Cooper, 
Sam'll Hayward, 
Joseph Willis. 



James Leonard, 
Joseph A. Prisbury, 
James Leonord, 2d., 
Wm. Thayer, Jun., 
David Staey, 
William Hoskins, 2d., 
Thomas Baylis, 
Preeman jNIayberey, 

his 

Benja. ^ Knap, 

mark 

6ly. Voted That ye sum of nineteen pounds twelve shillings one pen- 
ney Three farthings be Raised and yc same l)e aded to ye Town Kate 
this present year Avhich sum is in full Ballanee of ye account of ye pro- 
fesed meml)ers of ye Church of England in sd Town and that they be 
exempted from being assesed in this sum of £10 12s. Id. Sqrs, in asses- 
ing it in ye town Rate, &c. 
Extracted from Taunton Town Book 

folio 202, &c. Examined by 

James Williams, Town Clerk." 

The growth of the society in a little more than thirty years may be 
learned from the following paper, which came to light at the same time 
with the preceding : 



PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



345 



" Copy of the Episcopalians as 
in part for 1787 viz : iii Tauntou. 

Henry Ash, 
Lincohi Andrews, 
Lewis Allen, 
Sam'el Andrews, 
Jacob Burt, 
David Burt, 
John Burt, 
Sanrcl Burt, 
Edward Burt, 
Ebcnezer Babbit, 
John Barrows, 
Gustavus Adol's Baylies, 
Edward Buvt, Ju'r, 
Ziba Babbit, 
Isaac Burt, Ju'r, 
Bufus Burt, 
Jonathan Cobb, 
Ebe'r Cobb, 
Mathew Cummings, 
Ebe'r Col)b, 2d, 
Rufus Cobb, 

Simeon Cobb, 
Ephr'm Crossman, 
Ebe'r Cobl), 3d, 

Simeon Crosman, 

Tho's Co.o-gcshall, 

I^ichard Caswell, 

Oliver Danforth, 

Oliver Dean, 

Elkanah Dean, 

Abisha Dean, 

Richard Dean, 

Timo. Eoster. 

Nath'el French, 

Seth Garey, 

Joseph Hood, 

Preserved Hoskins, 

Joseph Hodges, 

Timo. Hodges, Ju'r, 

Sam'el Hood, 

David Hood, oift of Town, 

Joseph Jon son, Ju'r, 

Joseydi Ingell, 

"William Jonson, 

Nath'el Leonard, 

Abiather Leonard, 2d, 

Rufus Leonard, 

Kath'el Leonard, 2d, 

Elijah Lincoln, 



Given in & murrenites Espiscopalians 



Seth Lincoln, 
Lot Lincoln, 
Nedebiah Lincoln, 
Erancis Luscombe, 
Ichabod Lincoln, 
Daniel Lincoln, 
Isaac Lincoln, 
Benjamin Leonard, 2d, 
Ricliard Mavl)erry, 
Wni. Mur])liy, 
Jonathan Macoraber, 
Freeman M:iyberry, 
Ebenezer Severs, 
Mary Shores, 
Timothy Smith, 
William Smith, 
Miles Stodard, 
James Seekins, 
Lemuel Stacy, 
INIary Presl.rey, 
William Prcsbrey, 
Seth Presbrey, 
John Presbrey, 
Levi Presbrey, 
Joseph Presbrey, 
Elijah Presbrey, 
Elijah Thayer, 
George Tisdale, 
John Townscnd, 
Ephraim Tisdale, 
John Thresher, 
Joshua Wilbore, 
Benj'a Wilbore, 
Ephraim Woodward, 
Solomon Wilbore. 
Jonathan Williams, 
John Wilbore, 
Ebenezer Williams, 
Cornelius White, 
Abijah White. 
Elkanah Tisdale,— 90 



Murrenites 
John Porter, 
Abner Pitts. 
This List Given in 
Dec'r 8th. 1789.— 90 
Elij'a Thayer 
Wm. Burt", 



1 



Wardens. 



346 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



Note B. Page 335. 

The letter of Mr. Crocker to Rev. Thomas Prince of Boston, 
was wi'itten " November 24th, 1744," and published in " Nos. 
93, &c.," of the " Christian History." It also forms the 9th 
section of the 5th chapter of the 4tli Book of Gillies '' Histori- 
cal Collections," (pp. 372-381.) It is here presented in full, 
unamended and unabridged, as a most valuable memorial of the 
sixth minister of Taunton, and no unimportant part of the his- 
tory of the times. 

*'B. D. S. — According as you desired m.e some time since, 
I here present you with some account of the late remarkable visit 
whicli the Lord hath made us by a marvellous effusion of tlio 
Spirit of Grace, in his awakening, convincing, humbling, con- 
verting, sanctifying, and comforting influences. "Whatever any 
may say or think, I freely declare my firm belief, that the great 
Jehovah has been remarkably present with his people and ordi- 
nances in Taunton, in reforming his people, and in reviving and 
carrying on the power of religion among them ;as is plain to any, 
who are acquainted with things of a religious nature here ; un- 
less their minds are blinded by infidelity and enmity, or awful 
and unjustifiable prejudices against the gospel, or the sovereign 
and free Spirit of grace, and his works of grace upon the hearts 
of his people. God has been with them of a truth : many have 
felt his power and seen his glory ; the goings of our God and 
King have been glorious in the assemblies of his people in this 
part of his vineyard. And, indeed, I can never be enough 
thankful to our Divine Ptedeemer, I can never enough adore 
and magnify his holy name, for the late display of his Almighty 
grace in the midst of this dear people ! If tfle reformation of 
one person is matter of great joy among all the real friends of 
religion ; what then is the reformation of the generality of a 
town ? If the effectual conversion of one sinner to God is mat- 
ter of exceeding great joy among the angels in heaven, and 
among the Bridegroom's friends here upon earth; oh, then, 
what matter of joy is there in heaven and earth, when numbers 



I 



crockek's letter in 1744. 347 

are efFectually converted even in one single town ? Wherefore, 
for my own part, I desire with humility, delight, and gratitude, 
to acknowledge to the praise and glory of free sovereign grace, 
that whilst the Lord has been watering one part and another of 
his vincj'ard by the precious influences of his Spirit, in the late 
remarkable day of his people's visitation, he has not altogether 
passed us ; but has wrought marvellous things in the midst of 
us ; his right hand and his holy arm have gotten him the victo- 
ry, over a number of souls among us. 

Being diverted by one means and another, I have for some 
time delayed writing to you ; but (as I think) duty and gratitude 
to the blessed God and our dear Lord Jesus, and likewise com- 
mon justice, which we all owe to the world, and to the cause of 
Christ, and interests of vital godliness, in the late happy revival 
thereof, which has suffered so mvich by these among other things, 
viz : the repeated misrepresentations which by some seem to 
have been devised and industriously spread, and by others un- 
warily received and published abroad concerning it, as if the 
whole, or most thereof, was nothing but a wild scene of enthu- 
siasm, disorder, &c., whereby even some good people, who 
either have not had, or have neglected to improve opportunities, 
impartially to examine into the nature and evidences thereof, 
\may either have -beeu prejudiced against, or stumbled at it ; 
(whilst others may thereby have been confirmed in their infidelity 
'and security, and in their natural enmity against the power of 
godliness, and so take up with a form, or nothing in the room 
thereof ; being frightened at, and carefully avoiding the least 
appearance of it, lest they should turn enthusiasts, distracted, 
or catch what may be looked upon by some too much the pre- 
vailing distemper of the country, &c. : — I say, these things 
oblige me to declare and publish the conquests and triumphs of 
the Almighty Kedeemer, in the midst of the dear people of my 
charge. It is, indeed, exceeding difficult to give a just, faith- 
ful, and impartial account of what the Lord has wrought among 
this people in the late day of his great grace, so as not to wrong 
the cause and interest of pure and undefiled religion, and the 



348 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

)nethocls wliicli a sovereign God has been pleased to take in re- 
viving and propagating it among them, either on the one hand 
or on the other, either by attributing that to it which belongs 
not to it, but is rather of a contrary nature and tendency, or by 
taking that from it which belongs unto it, and is part of its real 
beauty and glory. But, relying upon the Lord for his gracious 
assistance, I shall endeavour to give a just, faithful, and impar- 
tial account of the rise and progress, nature, and effects, togeth- 
er with some circumstances, which have attended this work of 
God's grace among them : as in the sight and fear of God, be- 
fore whom I expect quickly to appear and give up my account, 
and receive of him according to the deeds done in the body, 
whether they be good, or whether they be evil. 

That I may, therefore, give you a clearer and juster repre- 
sentation of the late surprising visit of the Spirit of Grace, it 
will be proper to give a brief account of the state of religion 
among them before the late happy revival thereof. The num- 
ber of families belonging to this congregation is about two hun- 
dred and seventy or eighty. And the state of religion among 
them before the happy revival thereof (as far as I have learned) 
appeared to be very dark and awful. The church was but small, 
considering the number of inhabitants ; and deadness, dullness, 
formality, security, &e., too awfully abounded among them. 
Any who were wise virgins (as I trust there were a few) ap- 
peared to be slumbering and sleeping together with the foolish, 
and sinners appeared to be at ease in Zion. In a word, it is to 
be feared that there was but little of the life and power of god- 
liness among them, and irreligion and immorality of one kind 
and another appeared awfully to increase. Tavern-hauntings, 
divisions, and animosities, contentions, merry meetings, and 
frolickings were much pursued and attended: yea, to that height 
of wickedness had they arrived, that (as I have been informed) 
they would even contrive them on the Lord's-days ; and things 
of that nature were much the subject of their conversation upon 
holy time. Indeed vital and experimental godliness seemed to 
be almost banished from among both old and young. The holy 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 349 

Sabbaths were awfully raispent by the town in general ; and 
their conversation chiefly turned upon worldly and vain topics, 
and much irreverence appeared in the house of God. From 
whence it is something easy to form a judgment how the re- 
mainder of the week was spent ; in as much as the general and 
prevailing bent and temper of the minds and conversation of a 
person or people are more or less religious and spiritual, accord- 
in »• as they are more or less strict and conscientious in their sane- 
tification of the holy Sabbath. As to doctrines, perhaps it did 
not so openly appear what were the religious principles of many 
of them in the time of their security, till they came to be moved 
and roused by the powerful influences of the Holy Grhost, which 
have accompanied the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus. 
For persons may profess to believe and esteem the self-denying 
doctrines taught us in the gospel of Christ ; yea, they may 
themselves think that they really believe and esteem them, until 
by the powerful influences of the Holy Spirit accompanying 
them they are awakened and are led into some measure of an 
experimental acquaintance with their own hearts ; and then they 
will find their natural unbelief of, and enmity against them ; 
they will find their carnal hearts rising up against, and cavilling 
at them ; yea, and come really and openly to appear against 
them, if the grace of God prevent not. Many may be able to 
bear with those doctrines of the Gospel in the theory, who can- 
not endure the power of them, who cannot endure to see them 
examplified in practice, &c., as is too evident in this day. But 
indeed, other doctrines prevailed : doctrines exceedingly agree- 
able to the natural blindness, pride, and haughtiness of human 
nature in this its lapsed and depraved estate ; doctrines in their 
nature and tendency, contrary to the tenor and spirit of the 
Gospel, and destructive to the souls of men. 

Thus had this people degenerated from the primitive piety of 
their ancestors ; thus had they almost sunk into the very dregs 
of formality, irreligion, &c., and seemed, according to an hu- 
man view, to be almost ripe for the signal execution of Divine 
vengeance upon them ! but God (whoso thoughts are not our 
30 



350 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

thouo-bts) was pleased to take tliis time -wherein marvellously to 
display the unsearchable riches and adorable sovereignty of Di- 
vine grace among this people I as God will be known by the 
judgments which he executes, so much more will he be known 
by the astonishing acts of his grace among the apostate sons of 
men ! oh, how glorious did the riches and sovereignty of Divine 
grace appear in visiting this backsliding and rebellious people 
by a plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit, in visiting them just 
at such a time when they had arrived at such a degree of wick- 
edness, and in triumphing over all their sins and vilenesses ! 
verily, grace thus manifested and displayed eminently appears to 
be the grace of God, boundless like himself, infinitely surpass- 
ing the understandings of men and angels ! surely God is self- 
moved when he shews mercy to any person or people ! he loves 
them from himself ; he loves them because he will love them ; 
and he has compassion on them, because he will have compas- 
sion on them ; so that it is neither of him that willeth nor of 
him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy ! God gives 
not his grace to us either because we are good, or have done 
any good ! no, verily. But he gives us his grace that we may 
be good and do good ! it is all from infinitely free, self -moving 
and sovereign grace ! — See Ezek. xvi. at the beginning. 

But to return — The people began to be somewhat reformed 
by the blessing of God upon the preaching of Mr. Guild (who 
is since settled in the ministry in the Jerseys) and others ; and 
before he left them there appeared to be somewhat more of a 
reconciliation among them in general. Now in the time of his 
preaching among them, the Eev. Mr. Tcnnent, in his journey 
from Boston to New Port, in March 1740-1, visited and preach- 
ed to them from Matth. xi. 28. He had a considerable number 
of hearers, considering the shortness of the warning, and the 
difficulties of the season. The effects of his preaching were not 
deep and lasting upon the minds of many of the people, as I 
have understood. Some were filled with wonder, as if they had 
heard strange things to-day, and some were brought under con- 
cern of soul ; but I have not found that it was deep and abid- 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 851 

ing, excepting upon one or two. Now from about this time re- 
ligious conversation increased more and more amonp; some of the 
people, by the blessing of God upon the means of grace ; some, 
at least, appeared to be more thoughtful, and to consider their 
ways ; public exercises were attended with more apparent dili- 
gence and seriousness, &c. About this time (I think) their 
frolics were abandoned,* and a number of young persons form- 
ed themselves into a society for religious exercises ; which soci- 
eties had been neglected for a long time since. Thus there ap- 
peared to be some external reformation among many. Some- 
time also this summer, as I remember, one was awakened by a 
special dispensation of Providence, whose awakening, I hope, 
issued in effectual conversion. 

In the beginning of August, 1741, they sent for me to come 
and preach with them a few Sabbaths upon probation ; and I 
accordingly engaged with them for two or three. 1 went and 
preached my first sermon to them upon August IGth. I found 
that the people generally attended the public worship with some 
measure of heedfulness and seriousness. They were much re- 
formed in this respect. Some as I remember were affected. I 
also heard of some who were under more concern of mind than 
they used to be ; but I then observed but very little appearance 
of vital and experimental religion among them, though indeed 
my observation was short and narrow. One Sabbath evening, 
I visited, exhorted and prayed with the before-mentioned society 
of young persons ; and they seemed to be seriously affected and 
concerned, though not under deep and clear spiritual convic- 
tions as I could learn. About this time, by rumours of relig- 
ious stir and commotion abroad, and especially at Bridgewater, 
many of them were probably stirred up to talk more about these 
things, some for and some against them. At length the church 
came to a choice of me for their pastor. And about this time 

* And here observe, tliat as soon as the great truths of our most holy 
religion, and the great concern of our souls and another world are seri- 
ously thought of and laid to heart, these cursed frolics and merry meet- 
ings — those nurseries of impieties and debaucheries — are abandoned by 
us. 



352 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

hearing liow religion flourished in many places in Connecticut, 
(thouo-h indeed I was sometimes stumbled at some tiling's which 
I heard reported from thence concerning some part of their con- 
duct, yet I belieyed there was a glorious remarkable work of 
God's grace revived and carrying on among the people there, 
and also in some other places in the land, and hope I was in 
some measure enabled to rejoice therein,) I had some sense of 
the awful state of religion in Taunton ; and on a particular time 
especially filled with distress on that account, togetlrer with ear- 
nest desires that God would also visit them with his special grace, 
that he would revive and propagate the power of godliness 
among them, and had some hopes raised in me that he would. 
After this, sometune in October, the B,ev. Mr. Daniel Rogers, 
having been preaching at other places, came and preached a 
sermon at llaynham, a town adjoining to this. I was there, 
with some of this people, and heard him. There appeared 
to me to be a savour of the Holy Spirit in his ministrations, 
which made me desirous that he should preach here also. Ac- 
cordingly I invited him to go home and preach a lecture for me 
the next day in the forenoon, to which he consented, and notice 
thereof was given among the people as generally as might be. 
People began now to be more swift to hear, and there was a 
considerable number attended the lecture, with some from other 
nei2;hborino; towns. There were some who came from Middle- 
borough. West Precinct, who being awakened before, appeared 
to be under clear and deep spu-itual convictions of their sin and 
danger, and in great distress and agony of soul ; therefore, whom 
Mr. Rogers observing, he spake to them, as I remember. I 
also spake to the peo23le, desiring them not to be affrighted or 
disturbed in their attention by these convinced and distressed per- 
sons, their agonies and groanings. Having observed these things 
to the people (because they had never seen the like before) he 
proceeded. And he gave us a sermon from John v. 40. His 
discourse appeared to be very spiritual, and, I trust, was at- 
tended by the power of the Holy Ghost. In his discourse, he 
opened to us and confirmed the state of legal and spiritual 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 353 

death, wlierehi all mankind naturally lie, as is implied in the 
text : he, moreover, shewed us what that life was for which we 
were to come to Christ, as it consists in a freedom from con- 
demnation, and in a conformity to the moral and communicable 
excellencies of the blessed God : he also mentioned some of 
those reasons why sinners will not come to Christ, or believe on 
him that they might live, &c. He applied his discourse ; urg- 
ing upon sinners the absolute necessity of coming to Christ, or 
believing on his name, that those which were naturally dead in 
trespasses and sins, might live a life of justification and sancti- 
fication, &c. A solemn and awful seriousness appeared among 
the people, and those before-mentioned, who came from the Pre- 
cinct, appeared to be in awful distress and anguish of soul, &c. 
The Rev. Mr. Wheelock of Lebanon having preached at 
Norton (a town adjoining) on the same day, and, after exercise 
was over, being invited by one of our deacons, came to Taun- 
ton ; he appointed to preach a lecture at the meeting-house the 
next day. Before meeting he sent for me, but I being out of 
town, at the time appointed he went to lecture, and preached to 
a considerable number of people, from Mark xvi. 16. In his 
sermon, among other things, as I have been informed, he open- 
ed the nature of gospel faith ; gave some marks and evidences 
of it ; shewed the awful danger of a state of unbelief, &c. A 
considerable number, as I was informed were awakened and 
pricked in their hearts under his preaching : some were con- 
strained to cry out, their convictions of sin, and of their expos- 
edness to the immediate and actual execution of the Divine 
anger upon them being so sudden and piercing. The first who 
manifested their distress, by crying out this day, and indeed the 
first who did so of this people, had been much stumbled at the 
religious distresses expressed in our cries, &c., which she had 
heard of from^ abroad. The reports which she had heard, to- 
gether with what people said to her at home, tended much to 
prejudice her against these things. She said, she was brought 
to think that it was an evil spirit or a sort of enchantment which 
■ caused them. However, when she heard that the Rev. Mr. 
30* 



354 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Wheelock was come to town, and was to preach a lecture in the 
meeting-house ; notwithstanding the prejudices which were rais- 
ed in her mind against these things, she was resolved to go and 
hear him if she could. Accordingly she went ; and as she was 
going, she says, she secretly wished, that if these things were 
right, she might partake in them. (Here observe that she had 
for some time been under some concern, but not under any clear 
distinct spiritual convictions, as I could learn of her.) Accord- 
ingly, in sermon-time her eyes were immediately opened to see her 
guilt and danger : and it appeared to be all blackness and dark- 
ness unto her : so that she knew not which way to turn, that she 
might escape the wrath of God, which she saw hanging over her. 
She says that she had a sort of knowledge and belief that Christ 
was able to save her, but durst not believe in him, being such a 
sinner. She was afraid of going to hell every moment, as she 
deserved ; but yet had a secret hope kept alive in her soul, in 
all her distress, that it might be God would have mercy on her, 
&c. On the Sabbath after she was very much distressed, es- 
pecially in the afternoon, trembling under the word ; distressed 
under conviction of sin and awful apprehensions of the wrath of 
God due to her for sin. After the exercise was over, she came 
to Mr. Wheelock, as he stood out of the doors, inquiring what 
she should do, &c. Her distress and anguish of soul because 
of her sin and danger continued wath many awful temptations, 
as she says, till the Sabbath se'ennight ; when being at meeting 
in the afternoon, she thought she had Christ discovered to her 
by some passages in the sennon. Upon which discovery, she 
says her distress was all removed immediately : "I saw (says 
she) Christ was a complete Saviour ; just such an one as I 
would have chosen, were I to choose a thousand times. Oh, 
then, I thought I should have lived a heaven U23on earth for the 
time to come ; a blessed life indeed ! My sins seemed to be sub- 
dued and gone. After this I was not angry and fretful under 
crosses and oppositions as I used to be before." But, by and 
by, she finds her corruptions stirring in her; complains of them, 
says she is burdened with them, hopes she hates sin, her heart- 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 355 

sins, and longs after purity in heart and life. She is examin- 
ing herself, and inquring lest she should be deceived ; though 
at the first illumination she thought herself sure, she still has 
her ebbings and Sowings ; her light and her dark hours ; some- 
times distressed, at other times rejoicing, &c. She appears to 
live like a Christian for all that I have heard : God alone knows 
and searches the heart ! One also received comfort this day, 
(who had been under more or less concern of soul for some 
time before,) breaking forth in the language of the spouse, 
Cant. ii. 8. She appears to walk answerably, and to have her 
conversation as becomes the Gospel ; to live near to God. A 
far greater number, who seemed to be seriously concerned and 
distressed, did not manifest their distresses in such public man- 
ner ; whilst some perhaps were inc[uiring what these things 
meant. There was also a word of exhortation given by a young 
candidate, after Mr. Wheelock was gone. Upon the whole, I 
do verily believe, that this day was a day wherein God remarka- 
bly displayed his power and grace in the assembly of his people 
here. 

Upon my coming home that evening, and hearing what the 
Lord had done among this people the day past, my thoughts 
were fixed upon Rev. iii. 20, first clause (although I had de- 
signed to have preached from another text I had wrote from.) 
Accordingly, I minuted down some thoughts that evening, and 
hope had the gracious 'assistance of the Holy Ghost. The sub- 
ject appeared to me to be seasonable ; it being a time in which 
the glorious Redeemer was remarkably knocking at the doors of 
sinners' hearts, in this town, for admittance and entertainment. 
I think, indeed, it is my duty to study my sermons as well as I 
am able, and to labour to feel the power of them upon my own 
heart before I deliver them to the people ; yet I believe minis- 
ters may sometimes be called in Providence to preach when they 
have not had an opportunity for such preparatory studies as 
might be their duty at other times, and then they may humbly 
look up to the Holy Spirit for, and expect his gracious assist- 
ance answerable to their necessities. And as ministers should 



356 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

be co-workers with GolI ; so, with humihty, do I desire to say, 
that I would always endeavour carefully to observe the particu- 
lar frames of my people, the particular dispensations of Prov- 
idence they may be called to pass under, times of any special 
and remarkable visitation from the Spirit of grace ; the truths 
which, through grace, I may at any time find peculiar light, lib- 
erty, strength, sweetness and refreshment in feeding upon, and 
adapt my discourses accordingly. The next day (which was 
the Lord's-day) I went to meeting, and preached to a large, 
serious, and attentive assembly. I have reason to believe that 
some were under spiritual and scriptural convictions of their sin 
and misery, and under deep and serious concern of soul, others, 
who, I believe, were under more than usual thoughtfulness and 
concern of mind, either from what they had seen or heard, or 
from both, might perhaps still be enquiring what these things 
meant. In my sermon, among other things, I endeavoured to 
speak to sinners of the astonishing grace and condescension of 
the dear Lord Jesus in knocking at the door of their hearts for 
admittance and entertainment ; of their own particular and great 
concernment therein ; that now was the day of Christ's patience 
with them, which would quickly be over unless they opened to 
him ; that sinners' hearts were naturally barred and bolted 
against the Lord Jesus; mentioning some of those bars and 
bolts which kept Christ out of their hearts, and which must be 
removed if ever he came in ; shewed them what it was to open 
to Christ ; and improved the discourse, giving them some rules 
and marks of trial, whereby they might examine themselves, 
whether they had opened to Christ, yea or nay, and applied it 
as closely and pathetically to saints and sinners, according to 
their particular concernments therein, as I could. 

The word was attended with power, and some were pricked 
in their hearts by it, as I afterwards learned. Though indeed I 
observed no visible manifestations of their conviction of their 
sin and distress of mind in the time of public exercise, other 
than an awful concern and solemnity which was evident in most 
or all of their countenances. I think I never saw such an as- 



ceocker's letter in 1744. 357 

sembly before ; such awful reverence, sucli serious concern of 
mind, under the Word. Let all the praise and honour be given 
to the God of all grace, whose glory filled the temple, and the 
power of whose Word most or all felt in a greater or less de- 
gree this day ! I desire not to speak of these things, and others 
of the like nature v/liich may hereafter be mentioned, that either 
I or others may have whereof to glory save in the Lord, who 
was pleased to magnify his grace and strength in the weakness 
of the instrument! Oh, may I continually be humbled and 
broken under the workings of latent pride, &c. May I forever 
be made and kept humble under a spiritual conviction of my 
own nothingness, vileness, and unworthiness, and be enabled to 
give the God of all grace all the honour and glory of anything 
he has been pleased, or may still he pleased, to work in me, by 
mo, or for me. It is the plain preaching of the Gospel of a 
crucified Jesus, not with words and reasonings which man's wis- 
dom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, that God has 
been pleased to honour and bless in the late remarkable day of 
his people's visitation in this town, and in other places so far as 
I have been acquainted with them. 

At noon I went to my usual place of retirement. Some of 
the people came to the house also, and appeared to be under 
concern of mind. I gave them a word of exhortation, and hope 
it was not in vain. About this time, nothing which was said to 
people seemed in vain. Li the afternoon, at the usual time, I 
went to meeting, and Mr. Wheelock preached to a crowded assem- 
]Ay, from Job xxvii. 8. In his sermon, he endeavoured to de- 
tect the hypocrite ; to shew how far a person might go, what he 
might do, and what he might experience, and, nevertheless, be 
nought but a very hypocrite ; to represent to them the awful danger 
and folly of hypocrisy, &c., to urge it upon them that they 
would be willing to know themselves before it was too late ; that 
whatever they might gain by their hypocrisy in this world, as 
credit among men, &c., would be all lost in that day, when God 
should take away their souls, and they be stripped and stand 
naked before the enlightened and awful tribunal of a holy God, 



358 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

to tlieir everlasting shame and contempt, &c. His sermon was 
close, searching, experimental, awful, and awakening. The 
visible effects of it upon the people wore an awful concern and 
solemnity which appeared in their countenances in general, and 
one or two trembled under it. Surely God was with him ; he 
appeared to speak of spiritual and divine things as awful reali- 
ties. Many I doubt not could witness to the truth of his ser- 
mon, by finding their hearts discovered and read to them there- 
in. The kingdom of darkness trembled, I trust, before the 
Gospel of Christ, dispensed by this his dear servant. He ap- 
pointed to preach another sermon after a small intermission, and 
accordingly did. Many of this people tarried to hear him. He 
preached from Hosea xiii. 13. He opened the connection and 
the text itself, and then observed, that inasmuch as he was about 
to leave them on the morrow, and there were a number under 
convictions, he would point out some things which were often- 
times means of hindering person's convictions from issuing in 
conversion. Accordingly, he mentioned some of them ; as the 
world, and putting off convictions till a more convenient sea- 
son, &c. He gave some account of the various workings and 
lustings of the sinner's heart whilst under convictions towards 
forbidden objects, towards false resting-places. He was deliv- 
ering his discourse very pleasantly and moderately ; but, oh, 
an uncreated power and authority accompanied it, a power and 
authority too big, awful, and majestic, for any creature ; it was 
the voice of God which is powerful and full of majesty ! The 
great Comforter, whose office it is to convince the world of sin, 
cf righteousness, and of judgment, to teach his disciples all 
things, and bring all things to their remembrance, accompanied 
the Word with his almighty and efficacious grace ! Oh, it dis- 
covered the secrets of men's hearts to them with irresistible en- 
ergy, light and evidence ! Indeed, he spake in the demonstra- 
tion of the Spirit, and with power, so that one must say, God 
was with him of a truth ! By and by, some began to cry out 
both above and below in awful distress and anguish of soul : 
upon which he raised his voice, that he might be heard above 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 359 

tlieir outcries ; but the distress and outcry spreading and in- 
creasing, his voice was at length so drowned that he could not 
be heard. Wherefore, not being able to finish his sermon, with 
great apparent serenity and calmness of soul (having mentioned 
it to me) he called to the distressed, and desired them to gather 
themselves together in the body of seats below. This he did 
that he might with more conveniency converse with them, coun- 
sel, direct, exhort them, &c. Oh, how were sinners in Zion 
afraid ! How did fearfulness surprise the hypocrite ! Whilst 
they saw their state, and saw no way opened to them, how they 
could dwell with the devouring fire, how they could inhabit with 
the everlasting burnings, whilst they saw no way how they could 
approach unto the holy and jealous God ! Oh, the distress and 
anguish of their souls! Oh, the pains that were upon them, like 
as of a woman in travail ; whilst they saw their just deserts at 
the hands of the great God ; whilst they knew not but what, 
yea, were awfully afraid lest, they must eternally dwell with 
devils and damned souls in the lake which burneth with fire and 
brimstone, and bear the fury of God, with whom now they saw 
was terrible majesty ! Seeing somewhat of the awfulness of hell, 
and that they deserved it ; seeing also that nothing but the mere 
uncovenanted good pleasure of God, who was very angry with 
them, kept them out of hell every moment : no wonder that 
they cried out, they should go to hell, they were going to hell, 
" What shall we do to be saved ?" &c. 

Mr. Wheelock left the people generally, if not universally, 
impressed with a serious and awful sense of invisible realities ; 
conversing about the important concerns of their imm.ortal souls ; 
searching into their state towards God ; fearing, complaining, 
and incjuiring what they should do ; longing after the word and 
ordinances. In a word, their thoughts seemed almost wholly 
taken up about the great things of another world, endeavouring 
in all appointed means to secure the one thing needful. I found 
a few who had received comfort ; and many others appeared to 
have such deep convictions of their sinful condemned state by 
nature, and such awful apprehensions of the anger of God due 



360 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



to them for sin, tbat tlioy seemed like persons who had received 
a sentence of death, and had a gloominess overspreading all 
their worldly enjoyments which they had so inordinately placed 
their affections upon and eagerly pursued after. They seemed 
struck with amazement at their danger, and the awfulness of a 
Christless state, and their past blindness and stupidity therein, 
and were seeking after Jesus, after pardon, acceptance, &c. 

This morning I, with the Rev. Mr. Wales, went to Middle- 
borough first precinct, to a stated lectui'e, where there was a ser- 
mon delivered. The sermon was plain, searching, awful. Its 
chief tendency was to discover the danger of a Christless state 
— to open and explain the Gospel-way of salvation by Jesus 
Christ — to show them that now was the day of Christ's patience 
with them — to give some characters of those who had opened 
to, or believed in Christ, and to invite and beseech all to open 
to or believe in Christ, that they might be saved. There was 
a plentiful shower of Divine grace which fell upon the assembly. 
Numbers had their sins set in order before their eyes, having 
the sins of their lives, and the plague of their hearts discovered 
to them, fearing, trembling, complaining, and enquiring, what 
they should do to be saved. They seemed, from their natural 
legal spirit, ready to catch hold of anything that they might bo 
delivered from the wrath which is to come, and to be opposite to 
submittino; to the rio-hteousness of Grod, as all natural men are. 
Numbers, yea, even some young persons, had such discoveries 
of their sin and misery by nature, as could be given them by 
none save the Holy Ghost, whose ofiice it is to convince of sin. 
Indeed, almost the whole assembly appeared to be impressed 
with a serious concern for the salvation of their souls ; but some 
had clearer and deeper convictions than others, &c. 0, how 
feelingly did they speak and complain of their sins, especially 
the sins of their nature, such as pride, &c. Oh, how earnest 
and solicitous were they in their inquiries after Jesus Christ, 
and an interest in him. How did they fear lest they should fall 
short of Christ ; lest their convictions should wear ojBT, &c. We 
tarried after tlio exercise was over, some time with them in the 



CROCKER'S LETTER IN 1744. 361 

meeting-bouso, that we might converse and pray with tkem. We 
left them that evening, and returned home. 

The spiritual concern still remained upon the minds of this 
people, and increased, if anything. There were presently sev- 
eral societies of young persons formed in town for prayer, read- 
ing God's Word and good books, singing God's praises, and 
some or all of them agreed to meet twice a week statedly, be- 
sides other occasional meetings, lectures, public and private. 
There were also in a little time one or two family meetings set 
up in town for religious exercises. I found little, if any, open 
opposition as yet among the people ; though afterwards the re- 
ligious concern among some of the people wearing off, or at 
least abating, they began to stumble at and oppose more freely 
and openly these appearances. 

On Friday, being desired by the negroes, I preached to them, 
with many others that attended at my lodgings, from Kom. viii. 
1 , " There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. ' ' 
In my sermon, I endeavoured to open and confirm the state of 
condemnation in which all mankind naturally lie ; to open 
the way provided for the salvation of sinners by God, and 
exhibited to them in the Gospel, viz : through the righteousness 
of Christ imputed to them and received by faith alone ; to show 
them the safety and happiness of those that were in Christ by 
faith, and the sin and misery of those who were unbelievers, 
and in a state of condemnation, &c.; to give some marks and 
characters of believers ; and to urge upon sinners to give them- 
selves no rest until they had secured an interest in the righteous- 
ness of Christ, by a faith of God's operation. We had a crowd- 
ed assembly, and much of the gracious presence of God. The 
whole assembly seemed to be under the influences of the Holy 
Spirit. They appeared to come and hear the Word, in some 
measure convinced of the great necessity they were under of 
securing an interest in Christ. They appeared not to be care- 
less hearers, but to hunger after the Word ; looking and wait- 
ing critically and earnestly for a word suited to their particular 
cases, and waiting for the power of the Holy Ghost to accompa- 
31 



362 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

ny and make it effectual for tlieir salvation. Some were under 
consolation, joying and rejoicing, and appeared to be filled with 
love to a precious Christ, and to all men, especially those who 
they hoped were of the household of faith, for -Christ's sake. 
Others appeared to Tbe in deep distress for sin, and for fear of 
the wrath to come, enquiring what they should do ? Now Sab- 
baths were prized and seriously regarded. More or less of the 
power of Grod accompanied the public and private assemblies of 
his people. There was often much of the Divine presence with 
them in their private meetings, when they had preaching, and 
also when they had not. I could and did preach frequently 
with the people. They appeared to be swift to hear, especially 
young people — they seemed to hear as for their lives. They 
were wakeful, serious, reverent and attentive in God's house ; 
and gladly embraced opportunities of hearing his word. Oh, 
it is sweet preaching when people are desirous of hearing ! 
sweet feeding the flock of Christ, when they have so good an 
appetite ; yea, sweet seeing it fed, if one is not permitted to 
feed it. In those days surely the Word of the Lord was pre- 
cious ; many, like new born babes, desiring the sincere milk of 
the Word, that they might grow thereby. Their merry meet- 
ings were turned into praying and singing assemblies ; their 
vain, foolish, and frothy conversation into religious and experi- 
mental discourse. When people occasionally visited one anoth- 
er, or providentially met together, their conversation turned on 
religious topics. When I visited them, or they me, they would 
be conversing about religion, and asking serious and important 
questions about their souls ; about doctrinal and experimental 
religion. What a wonderful reformation was there in this town ! 
it is impossible fully to describe it. Moreover, I labour under 
some peculiar disadvantages, so that I cannot give so full and 
particular an account of things of a religious nature, especially 
in the time of the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as 
otherwise I might have done : being but a stranger among and 
unacquainted with them, and not committing particular accounts 
of things to writing in the time of them ; and, labouring under 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 363 

many perplexities, particularly awful spiritual darkness, deser- 
tion, and temptation, for the most of that ftill and winter ; my 
memory also Leing impaired thereby. Indeed, it was a wonder 
of the power and the grace of God, that I was carried through 
the service I was called unto. 

Sometime in Novemhcr, on the Sahbath, I preached to a full 
assembly. There appeared to be an awful concern continuing 
upon the minds of the people in general; though I feared not 
so great as had been ; and was fearing lest God was about to 
depart from us; but, when the afternoon exercise was over, 
some were in great anguish of soul. Being obliged to set out 
on a journey the next day, I appointed to preach another ser- 
mon at the meeting-house m the evening. Accordingly, at the 
time appointed I returned to the meeting-house, and found that 
many were in great distress. I preached to a considerablji large 
assembly, from Rom. viii. 1. Many among the assembly were 
deeply affected, groaning and sobbing ; though not as to disturb 
the people or hinder them from hearing, as I remember. After 
the exercise was concluded, the distress among the people ap- 
peared greater ; many groaning or crying out, complaining of 
their sins and danger, of their blindness, hard-heartedness, &c.; 
a great weeping and mourning. The whole assembly, old and 
young, seemed to be concerned in a greater or less degree ; 
though, indeed, some were rejoicing in Christ, in hopes of their 
interest in him, and also to see others in distress, for their mis- 
erable and sinful state by nature ; because of the reasons of it, 
and because they hoped it would issue well. I prayed several 
times with the people, and exhorted them, &c. I conversed 
particularly with many young and old, as they were brought to 
me. We tarried in the meeting-house till nine of the clock, for 
what I know, and then retired. It was, indeed, a wonderful 
evening of the outpouring of the Spirit, as a Spirit of grace 
and supplication upon his people. 

In the time of my absence there was a stated monthly lecture 
among this people, preached by the Eev. Mr. Tobcy, of Berk- 
ley. I heard that Grod was graciously present. Upon my re- 



364 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

turn the next week, or the week after, as I remember, (having 
supplied the pulpit in my absence,) I found people were stum- 
bling at these things and more openly cavilling, and I found 
more disputing, &c., which was a disservice to the work of God, 
as it grieved the Holy Spirit, and kept people more from con- 
versino; with their ov.n hearts. 

I continued preaching and conversing among them until the 
the latter end of January. But difficulties arising and in- 
creasing about my settlement, and more appearing openly against 
me ; being sent for by a relation of mine, I went to Ipswich to 
take his advice. Upon ray coming to Ipswich and conversing 
with him, he said he would go to Taunton and preach for me a 
fortnight or three weeks, and see how things were circumstanced 
there, and I should tarry and supply a winter parish which he 
had the charge of. Accordingly I consented. 13 ut I was de- 
tained much longer from Taunton than I expected by reason of 
the difficulties of the season ; so that it was towards the latter 
end of March when I returned to Taunton. Here I would just 
observe, that in this time I had opportunity to see much of the 
glorious work of God's grace which he was carrying on at Ips- 
wich and other places at the eastward. And surely there was 
a remarkable and plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit there. 
Upon my return to Taunton, I found the religious concern upon 
people not to be so great in general as it was when I left them, 
as I could learn : though the people in general appeared still to 
be serious and thoughtful, to be seeking to secure the one thing 
needful. The preached Gospel was fully attended, especially on 
the Lord's-day, and attended with general seriousness, concern, 
and a seeming appetite. Things remained much the same until 
May 19th, 1742, upon which day I was solemnly ordained to 
the pastoral office over them. Since that, there have been sev- 
eral times of refreshing, and some revival of God's work. Sev- 
eral sacramental occasions have been special seasons of refresh- 
ment to the people of God ; especially the first sacrament I ad- 
ministered, I believe was a sweet and soul-reviving feast to 
many souls ; many I believe were brought into Christ's ban- 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 365 

que ting-house : his banner over them was love, Also, at a cate- 
chising of the children (after I had catechised them) I discours- 
ed to them from Prov. viii. 17, and in as familiar a manner as 
I was capable, taught them the love of God to those who love 
him, and urged the necessity and advantage of early piety. 
Some of them were affected while I was discoursing, and in 
prayer their distress increased. After which several cried out 
in great distress of mind. They complained of fears of hell, 
want of love to God, and that though Christ was willing, they 
were unwilling, &c. I spake scarce any terrible words to them, 
choosing rather a soft and gentle method of treating them. I 
spake little of hell and damnation ; but chiefly of the love of 
God, his readiness to receive little children, the advantages 
of loving him. Their concern appeared not to proceed from 
an affrightment but from a conviction of sin ; though it is to be 
feared that their convictions have not issued savingly. And as 
to some, perhaps the unkind neglects, if not discouragements of 
their parents, have had an awful influence in their losing of 
their convictions. Nevertheless, in the general, people have 
been growing more cold, dull, and lifeless in religion. There 
have been but few hopeful conversions since my ordination, the 
most who were brouo-ht home havino; been brous-ht home in the 
fall and winter. So that generally speaking, there has been an 
awful withdrawal of the Divine influence both from saints and 
sinners. An occasion of which might be the disputes about my 
ordination, and also for and against these things ; as also false 
reports and prejudices thereby raised in the minds of people ; 
whereby the Holy Spirit was grieved, and the spiritual concern 
of many abated. Some of our private meetings have come to 
nothing, though others are still attended. Many who have been 
under the divine influences have fallen away, and some I fear 
are more blinded and hardened than ever, cavilling and mock- 
ing. Some still remain under convictions. Some, it is to be 
feared, who have reformed and returned, have not returned to 
the Most High, but to some refuge of lies. Others in a judg- 
ment of charity, have experienced a saving and thorough work. 
31* 



o 



366 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

Some faw wlio were professors, I trust, have been plucked from 
their false foundations, and have been savingly converted to 
Grod. An hundred and two have joined in full communion 
with this church, though none lately. A few others of this peo- 
ple in the time of the vacancy (who have been wrought upon in 
this day of God's great grace) joined in full communion with 
other churches. Three or four have renewed baptismal coven- 
ant. Three or four more have been baptized. So that upon 
the whole it is evident to the glory of the God of all grace, that 
there has been a remarkable shower of divine grace among this 
people ; the Holy Spirit has been poured out in his common and 
special influences ujDon them ; the most or all of them have first 
or last been under serious concern of soul and searchings of 
heart. 

Thus I have given you some general and imperfect account 
of what the Lord has wrought among this people in the late 
day of his gi*eat grace. But, before I conclude my account, I 
beg leave to speak more particularly to some things, viz., before 
the Lord wrought in such a marvellous manner among this peo- 
ple, some of them had, by degrees, been brought to be more 
serious and thoughtful, and to consider their ways, (as I have 
before observed) which in some sort prepared them for such a 
surprising visit from the Spirit of grace, as they were thereby 
excited to give the most diligent heed to the things which were 
spoken to them in the name of the Lord. The late work among 
this people, I am fully persuaded (according to the best judg- 
ment I am capable of forming of things of this nature both 
from Scripture and reason) is the same as to its essence and 
substance, which has been in all ages in the application of the 
purchased redemption to the souls of sinners by the supernatu- 
ral and almighty operations of the Holy Ghost. Though it has 
been attended with some circumstances which have not been so 
common. The Holy Spirit has acted like himself with a sover- 
eign freedom as to the suddenness of his opening the eyes of 
secure sinners, and letting them into a knowledge of their sin, 
misery, and danger by nature ; some being led into the knowl- 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 367 



edge of their sin and misery more gradually than others. As 
to the measure and degrees of their conviction of sin and wrath ; 
some havino- clearer and more awful convictions thereof than 
others. As to the length of time ; some remaining longer un- 
der a spirit of bondage than others. And so as to the degrees 
of consolation he gave them upon their flying for refuge to Jesus 
Christ ; some having stronger consolation than others, &c. But 
they say they were convinced of their sins, original and actual ; 
had their sins set in order before their eyes in a clear and con- 
vincing liglit, with particular application ; were convinced of the 
plague of their hearts, of their blindness, pride, self-righteous- 
ness, enmity, opposition to God's sovereignty, and the way of 
life by Jesus Christ, unbelief, &c., of their being under the 
wrath and curse of Almighty God, and being continually ex- 
posed to the immediate and actual execution thereof upon them 
in hell ; of their utter inability to deliver themselves from this 
wretched estate ; of their lost and undone estate in and of them- 
selves, their duties, tears, repentings, &c., and being convinced 
of God's righteousness, though he should cast them off for ever 
for all they had done or could do ; having their way hedged up, 
and beino- brouoht into the wilderness, they were brought to 
God's sovereignty with an " Who knows but God may be gra- 
cious," &c. Upon their submission they felt a calmness in 
their souls, having done with quarrelling and disputing with the 
justice of God. Upon this, they say, they had a discovery of 
Christ, and the new-covenant way of life in and through him ; 
saw his glory, all-sufficiency, suitableness, and readiness to save 
even the chief of sinners, according to the Gospel ; (these dis- 
coveries were generally given them in and with some texts of 
Scripture : or if they had no text of Scripture as they remem- 
ber at first, there immediately came many flowing in upon their 
minds) had their hearts sweetly and freely drawn out to receive 
Christ, and rest upon him, and him alone, for salvation, accord- 
ing to the Gospel ; being brought to renounce all self or crea- 
ture dependencies, accounting their own righteousness as filthy 
rags, they were brought to joy and delight themselves in Christ, 



368 THE MIXISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

and in his whole salvation ; found peace of conscience, and joy 
in the Holy Ghost, according to the measure of their knowledge 
of and faith in Christ, and the new covenant way of life in and 
through him ; had their mouths filled with praises of Christ, 
glorifying him, commending him to others ; had their love 
drawn out to God and to all mankind, but especially to those 
who they thought belonged to the household of faith, for God's- 
sake — loving and forgiving their enemies, being filled with a 
concern for the salvation of f)recious and immortal souls, mourn- 
ing for and hating sin as against God, and as dishonourable to 
him. 

Some, who we charitably hope are really converted to God, 
do not give so clear and distinct an account as some others : 
some passing through more temptations and exercises than oth- 
ers ; some perhaps not so distinctly observing or not remember- 
ing the various steps of the Holy Ghost upon their minds as 
others, &;c. But yet their accounts agree in the essential parts. 
They were brought to see themselves sinners, and lost in them- 
selves : to see their natural impotence and enmity ; see God's 
righteousness though he should cast them off for ever ; brought 
to submit to God's sovereignty ; had the way of salvation open- 
ed up to them ; brought to renounce all confidence in themselves, 
and rejoice in Christ Jesus. Most of those who have been 
wrought upon were young, and had been very ignorant ; and, 
therefore, they scarce knew how to express their conceptions of 
spiritual and divine truths, so as properly to convey their own 
sense of things to others ; and did one but captiously converse 
with and examine some of them (without making due allowan- 
ces) one might gather strange accounts from them, though they 
might intend honestly and orthodoxly. And, perhaps, some of 
those frightful accounts which are told of abroad concerning 
some of the subjects of this work have their rise here. Some 
give such a clear and distinct account of the work of the Holy 
Spirit upon their hearts as a spirit of bondage, and a spirit of 
adoption, enabling them to cry, Abba, Father, and of their after 
experience, &c., that they even command our charity; others 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 369 

leave me in more suspense ; and others, for all the account they 
gave of theu* experiences, give awful grounds to conclude that 
they had but a common work. But God is the searcher and 
judge of hearts ; yet there is a judgment of charity, we may, 
and, upon some occasions, ought to form concerning the states 
of others. When I find a person habitually and visibly sinful 
in his life and conversation, or ignorant of the internal opera- 
tions of the Holy Spirit on his heart, I do not look upon it to 
be a breach of charity to fear, or conclude that he is unconvert- 
ed, and in a proper manner to tell him so. " By their fruits ye 
shall know them," says Christ. And I believe much of the rash 
judgment wherewith the subjects of this work have been accused 
and branded about tlic country, has been only such a judging as 
this. Not but that there has been too much rash and unseason- 
able judging of persons interior state. Those who I charitably 
hope have experienced a saving change among this people hav- 
ing been generally very ignorant, and being but babes in Christ, 
having but little experience in the spiritual and divine life, hav- 
ing their affections much raised and inflamed with a new glori- 
ous and ravishing view of spiritual and divine things, no won- 
der that at first they might, some of them at least, be carried 
out too rashly and unseasonably to judge the interior state of 
others who were not in their frames, or especially if they ap- 
peared lukc-warm and indifferent in the present day, or to speak 
against these things. But, further experience teaches them 
their absolute inequality for such an important work as infallibly 
to judge the interior state of others, and may, and does so more 
and more. But some of their judging was only a judging 
those who were visibly irreligious, or unacquainted with the in- 
ternal operations of the Holy Spirit — arising from a love to 
their souls, though they may not always have acted with that 
wisdom herein as might be desired. But do you expect chil- 
dren to act like men ? 

As for the character of tliose who have been savingly wrought 
upon in this day, — some were openly vile and profligate, others 
moralists, and others formalists. If you now inquire into the 



370 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

reasons and grounds of the terrors and distresses of tliose 
amongst us ; — tliose I have conversed with, say, tliey bad their 
eyes opened to see their sin and misery, their lost and undone 
estate by nature, &:c., agreeable to the Scriptures, as far as I 
am capable of judging. If you inquire into the grounds and 
reasons of the joys of many among us, they say they were from 
discoveries of the all-sufficiency, suitableness, and readiness of 
Christ to save even the chief of sinners ; they beheld the tran- 
scendant glory and excellency of Christ, and were constrained 
to joy and rejoice in him ; the dying love of Christ, the glory, 
excellency, and safety of the way of salvation by Christ : a 
gospel-hope and persuasion of their deliverance from hell, from 
the guilt and spiritual defilement of sin through Jesus Christ, 
of their living a life of communion and fellowship here, by faith, 
with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, and of the everlast- 
ing vision and fruition of God in the coming world, &c. These 
are some of those grounds which they give me of their joys, 
&c. Oh, how feelingly and experimentally do they sometimes 
speak of precious Christ ! How do they exalt, admire, and 
adore him ! How do they commend him to others ! As to 
outcries, &c., I would observe that they might be occasioned by 
one of these things : — either by the suddenness of the discov- 
ery of divine things ; or the clearness and greatness of the dis- 
covery ; or their particular constitutions ; or by these several 
things cooperating. And I verily believe, from particular con- 
versation with many of them, that the distresses and joys of 
most, if not of all those who cried out, &c., as well as the dis- 
tresses and joys of others, arose from a scriptural representa- 
tion of truth to their understanding, and the application thereof 
to their own consciences. Many, or most of whom, I hope, 
were converted, &c., did not manifest either their distress or 
consolation by outcries. 

But what fruit of all these things ? Why, a choosing and 
esteeming God's laws as holy, just and good; and delighting in 
them according to the inward man ; accounting Christ's yoke 
easy, and his burden light ; accounting wisdom's ways, ways of 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 371 

pleasantness, and all her paths peaceful ; as new-born babes de- 
siring the sincere milk of the Word, that they may grow there- 
by ; searching and delighting in the Scriptures, and in such 
books as are the most searching, and experimental, and awaken- 
ing ; longing for, and attending upon ordinances, and hunger- 
ine: and thirstino; after communion with God in them, delifrhtinjr 
in Sabbaths, and endeavoring to sanctify the Lord God in their 
hearts ; examining and trying themselves by the Scriptures, and 
by what the most searching and experimental authors have writ- 
ten upon that subject ; restitution made to any they have wrong- 
ed ; prayerless persons turned prayerful ; the swearer fearing 
and reverencing that great and dreadful name, the Lord our 
God ; the thief honest ; the merry and jolly turned grave and 
sober ; the dull formalists made spiritual, aud breathing after 
communion with God in ordinances. As far as I can learn, 
they are seeking after knowledge in the use of all appointed 
means : they are thirsting after a speculative and experimental 
knowledge of such doctrines as cast contempt upon the natural 
pride and haughtiness of man, and exalt free grace ; setting the 
crown on the head of the Lord Jesus Christ, where God has 
placed it. 

And though many, who were awakened, have fallen away to 
their former security ; yet what wonder is it ? is it anything 
new ? or what might not have been expected ? Is this, there- 
fore, a reason for concluding, that either those who were not 
under scriptural convictions, or that others have not been con- 
verted ? And though, further, a few that received joy and com- 
fort gave awful proof that they never experienced a saving 
change, and even some that made a public profession of Christ 
give awful grounds to fear lest they are strangers to him, yet 
are these things so strange and unheard of as to give warrant 
to conclude that none of them are any better ? There are, and 
have ever been hypocrites, and stony-ground hearers in the 
Church : and shall we act agreeably to Scripture or reason if 
we say that therefore none are sincere ? Indeed, there is abun- 
dant reason to bless God, that so few of the professed subjects 



k 



872 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

of tills work appear to apostatize in proportion to the great num- 
bers who give all the evidences of a supernatural and abiding 
change that we can reasonably expect. And though two, as I 
remember, for a few hours, whilst under convictions of sin and 
wrath, were so overpowered as to lose the free exercise of rea- 
son ; yet is this so anti-scriptural, as to warrant us to conclude 
the persons were not under the convictions of the Holy Spirit, 
though distracted by Divine terrors, as Heman was ? And tho' 
I believe, some have been tinctured with enthusiasm, which, I 
believe, they are come or coming off from, as they grow more 
experienced ; yet is it at all wonderful that true Christians 
should be thus tinctured, when we consider the remaining dark- 
ness of their understandings, the malice and subtlety of Satan, 
with our natural proneness to run from one extreme to another ? 
As to what has been reported of the subjects of this work, that 
they neglect their secular business by going to so many meet- 
ings, I would say, it has not been so with us ; but they have 
generally, and I know not but universally, worked as much or 
more than ever, and with more cheerfulness and delight, and, I 
trust, some of them from Gospel principles. They have, in- 
deed, been more conversant in the duties of religion, but they 
have redeemed their time for these purposes from idleness, tav- 
ern-hauntiugs, frolics, merry-meetings, and vain conversation ; 
and where is the harm of this to the Church or commonwealth ? 
Indeed, some, whilst under great convictions, or strong consola- 
tion, might, and I believe did, in some measure neglect their 
business ; but what wonder of this ? I would observe here, 
that for all the cry there may have been about so many meet- 
ings of late years, as if such and such places or persons would 
be undone, God has been pleased to load us abundantly with 
his benefits — to give us great or greater plenty of provision 
these few years past than ever. As for what is reported about 
divisions being occasioned by this work, I would say, it has 
been, I believe, the accidental cause thereof, vrhich, I think, is 
no just ground of prejudice against it. It cannot be expected 
that the power of godliness should flourish in such a degree as 



Crocker's letter in 1744. 373 

it has clone, and not be opposed by the devil and the hists of 
men. ]3ut the doctrines insisted on and blessed here in carry- 
ing on this work have no other than an accidental tendency to 
create divisions ; the subjects of the work, and such as appear 
friendly to it, are united by these things. 

To sum up all in a word : — There are many things reported 
of the subjects of this work, about their hnprudencios, irregu- 
larities, &c., some of which are false or gross misrepresenta- 
tions, or charging those things upon all which some pretended 
ones are guilty of; or may, I think, bo accounted for, by con- 
sidering either, that many appear friendly to this work who are 
unconverted, or that those who are converted are in a state of 
imperfection. But if persons will receive none as Christians, 
or as under a Divine influence, except such as they can see no 
fault in, where will they find any Christians in their esteem then 
upon earth. And now, if, after the account I have endeavored 
to give of the revival and progress of a work of God among 
this people in the late day of his great grace, any reject it for a 
wild scene of enthusiasm, give me leave to ask, " What true 
religion is, and where we shall find it?" If true religion is 
not to be found in these things, where shall we find any religion 
save the religion of nature ? I freely confess, for my own part, 
that if these things are not tnie religion, I know not what it is, 
either in theory or by experience. But who is the author of 
these things, and what are their tendency ? Is it not evident 
that they are from God, and lead directly to God ? Who is Ho 
that opens the eyes of blind sinners to see their sin and misery 
by nature ? Who awakens those v*'ho were at ease in Zion, 
making them earnestly solicitous to be brouglit out of the king- 
dom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son ? Who 
discovers to men the secrets of their hearts, exactly answering 
to what is written in God's Word concerning them ; humbles 
them at the feet of Divine sovereignty, and brings them to sub- 
mit to the righteousness of God ; opens their ejes to see the 
glory, all-sulSciency, suitableness, and willingness of the dear 
Redeemer to save even the chief of sinners who come unto God 
32 



374 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

by him ; giving them a spiritual view of these great truths ac- 
cording to the Scripture, effectually persuading and enabling 
them to receive him, and rest upon him, and him alone, for sal- 
vation, according to the Gospel ? Who makes sinners sec and 
feel their spiritual poverty, and mourn under it, and vehemently 
and insatiably hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteous- 
ness, esteeming him as the chiefest among ten thousand, as one 
altogether lovely ? &c. Who opens the eyes of sinners to see 
the odious nature and deserts of sin, and the real beauty of ho- 
liness, and makes them prize, and long, and seek after Christ's 
whole salvation ? Who makes them complain of indwelling siu 
as their greatest burden, and long for perfect deliverance there- 
from, for purity of heart and life ? Who changes their tempers 
so that they come to love and relish those things which once 
they hated and disrelished, and so e contra ? Who makes them 
leave off their former sinful ways, and change their vain com- 
panions for the company of those who are most serious and spir- 
itual ; makes them delight in and attend diligently and seriously 
upon ordinances, and yet mourn if they only meet.with empty 
ordinances ? Sec. Who is the author of these things, but the 
Eternal, Sovereign, and Almighty Spirit of Grace? for which 
for ever adored be his holy name. 

And what is the natural tendency of these things but to make 
men holy, perfect and happy, according to the account given us 
of the recovery of fallen man in the Gospel ? If those things 
arc only the effects of an overheated imagination, how shall I 
be certain of the reality of anything, that I love any person, or 
delight in anything? But I forbear — only, I would say to 
those who cavil at or reject these things as the work of Satan, 
idle dreams, or imagination. Come, taste and see ; candidly and 
impartially examine, and let Scripture bo judge. It seems, if 
tliey would do thus, their minds would be changed. But per- 
haps some will say that these tilings which you have given us an 
account of, and call a work of God, are right and Scriptural. 
You have nothing against these things. Well, I have endeav- 
oured to write the truth. I have conversed with the subjects of 
this work, and am bound in charity to believe what they say 



Crocker's letter ix 1744. 375 

they have been convinced of, upon wliicli tbeir lives were chang- 
ed ; which things I have endeavored to give you an account of. 
My pra3'er to God has been, that I uiiglit do it with upriglitness 
and sincerity, as in his sight, and I hope I have had in some 
measure his gracious assistance. May God accept of it as a tes- 
timony for him, and accompany it with his blessing, mercifully 
forgiving me all my inlirmities which I have been gLiiity of in 
writing it, for his name's sake ; and thus desiring your prayers 
for me, that I may make full proof of my ministry, &c., for my 
charge, that God would graciously revive and cany on his woi'k 
hero more gloriously — that He would plead his own cause and 
work when men make void his law. I subscribe myself your 
younger and unworthy fellow-laborer in the Gospel of tiie dear- 
est Jesus, JosiAii Ckocker. 



P. S. — I have been in some measure acquainted with the 
late revival of religion in many other places, — as in Middlebo- 
rough, both parishes, in Plymouth, some of the parishes in 
Bridgewatcr, Eaynham, Berkley, Norton, Attleborcugii, Mar- 
tha's Vineyard, and other places, — and, as far as I am capable 
of judging, the revival appears to bo the same for substance in 
every one of these rJaces. They appear to have the same 
grounds of distress and joy — the same after-complaints and 
delights, evidencing that it is the same Omnipotent Sovereign 
and Eternal Spirit of Grace, who is the author of these things, 
who gives forth his influences to what person or people, and 
whensoever lie will, and none may stay his Almighty hand, or 
say unto him, what dost thou, or why dost thou tluis. The same 
Spirit our forefathers and we have been praying for. As the 
personal coming of the Messias in the flesh, which the Jews had 
been praying and waiting for, was not according to the expecta- 
tions of the carnal Jews ; yea, his own disciples laboured under 
much ignorance, and had many gross appreliensions of his per- 
son, manner of coming, kingdom, &c. ; may v>'e not, therefore, 
justly expect that Christ's coming to his people, according to his 
promise by his Spirit, thougli they have been praying for it, 



B7G THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 



should be mistaken by many of his professed people ; John i : 12. 
"We are so prone to limit the Holy One of Israel, through our 
natural ignorance, pride, &c., that we are for rejecting him when 
He comes not to us, and works not according to that plan we 
have laid out in our own minds for him to work by. O, let us 
judge of God and his works by faith, according to the Scrip- 
tures — Yours, &c., JosiAu Crocker. 

Note C. Page 335. 

How highly prized was the preaching of Mr. Crocker in the 
vicinity of Taunton, may be gathered from the affectionate al- 
lusions made to him in conmiunications from Middleboro' soon 
after his arrival in town. Kev. Peter Thacher, Pastor of the 
church in Middleboro', and son of a minister of the same name 
in Milton, contemporary with the Danforths of Dorchester and 
Taunton, in sending an account of an interesting revival of re- 
ligion in M. to Eev. Mr. Prince, thus writes (Dec. 21, 1741 :) 
* ' It had been a time of fatal Deadness thro' the town. It was 
on Tuesday, I bemoan'd my sad case to the neiglibg^ing minis- 
ters at a public Lecture ; proposed a Fast the next week on the 
Wednesday; and had the ready promise of the company of di- 
verse of them. The Friday after God sent that dear Youth, 
Mr. Crocker. He preached two sermons ; considerable melt- 
ings. Saturday morning, preach'd another; after the exerciso 
was over, one cried out bitterly, that affected many. Diverse 
more were wounded on the Sabbath ; the evening after which 
my room was fiU'd with distress'd souls. Next day Mr. Crock- 
er came again and preached. The assembly generally melted, 
but silent; till, the Blessing given, and we had got without 
doors, when there were many, I suppose I may say, near one 
hundred, cried out." 

A more minute account of this Revival of Relic-ion was in 

o 

course of preparation by Mr. Thacher, and partially finished at 
the time of his death in the early part of 1741:. It was print- 
ed during that year in Nos. 63, 64 and 65 of the "Christian 
History." "It had been a long time of deadness," writes Mr. 



Crocker's PREAcnixG in middleroro'. 877 

Tliaclier. " In the beginning of October, (1741) I proposed 
a (lay of prayer. This was our errand to the Throne of Grace, 
to ask the outpouring of the Spirit on this dry Fleece. That 
Week some of my lately avfakcned Brethren oljtained a visit 
from the Rev. Mr. Crocker : they appointed a Lecture for him 
on Friday, which pleased me to hear of on my Return from my 
journey. He preached next morning. One cried out. The 
little Assembly was struck with Awe and Seriousness, which 
gave some Hopes of a Revival. He promises a visit on Mon- 
day ; of this public Notice was given the next day, the Sabbath. 
All that Day my Hearers seemed very attentive, and some 
Meltings. The next Day, being the 28d Day of November, 
1741, Mr. Crocker came. We began about one. He preach'd 
from Rom. 8: 1. This he opened largely, giving the charac- 
ters of them that were in Christ; and infer'd the misery of 
those, who found not the characters in themselves of their being 
in Christ ; there was nothing but Condemnation for them, show- 
ing what that Damnation was, &c. After Sermon, there was 
an Exhortiition deliver'd. Many now melted down, After the 
Rlessing, the People generally stayed ; till some cried out with 
Terror, which flew like Lightning into every Breast; I suppose 
none excepted. I have written accounts of seventy-six that 
Day struck, and brought first to inquire what they should do to 
escape Condemnation. This Inquiry awakened many. There 
were a Number of Professors of Religion that Day, whose 
Lamps went out; they discovered there was no Oil of true 
Grace in them. There were four Persons, that this Day being 
left alone in the several Houses to which they belong, were I 
suppose savingly awakened that Day, by the consideration that 
they were left. After a Stay with the distress'd, in Public, 
many followed us Home. Those that we had not opportunity 
to ask openly the State of thcii* Souls, and the Reason of their 
outcry, repaired to us. They tell us, they see now, what they 
never did before — their original Guilt, and actual Sins, and 
Fear of the dreadful Wrath of the Lord : This filled them with 
unutterable anguish. They seem'd to be stepping into Hell : 
32* 



378 THE MINISTRY OF TAUXTON. 



This drew Tremlbling, Fear and Cries from them. They com- 
plain of hard Hearts, and blind Eyes ! That they should never 
see before! 0, how dreadful to give the Grod of Truth the lie ! 
They complain, that they find their Hearts full of Enmity to 
God, to Christ, to liis Holiness, his Word, and Saints. Scores 
this day told me of their Hatred of me above any one. To 
hear the young people crying and wringing their Hands, and 
bewailing their Frolicing and Dancing, their deriding public 
Reproofs therefor, was affecting. Oh! how heavy now did their 
Contempt and Neglect of Christ appear to them, as the Effect 
of these corrupt Principles of Pride, Unbelief and Enmity, 
and vicious practices of IMirth and Jollity. Their mouths arc 
at once filled with arguments to justify God in their Eternal 
Damnation, and condemn those Principles and Practices they 
had been ruled by and led into, and this from Scripture. This 
the peculiar work of the Spirit, to convince of Sin and Unbelief. 
Well, the next Evening, we had another Lecture. Tho' an 
excessive Rain, yet many came, and the word was powerful. 
Thus the Lord began to hear, as soon as 'twas in our Hearts to 
ask. 

From this Time there was an uncommon Teacheablencss 
among my People ; Scarce one Word of Counsel seemed lost, 
or a Sermon in vain. From this time they must have four Ser- 
mons in a Week ; two Tuesdays, two Thursdays ; The Word of 
the Lord was very precious in those Days. In a few Days from 
that 23d of November, so greatly to be remembered, there ap- 
peared to be above two Hundred awakened." 

In the Boston Gazette of Tuesday, May 31, 1743, appeared 
an " Invitation " in the followino; Terms: "It is desir'd and 
proposed by a number of Ministers both in Town and Country, 
that such of their Brethren as are perswaded there has of late 
been a happy Revival of Religion, thro' an extraordinary Di- 
vine Influence, in many parts of this Land, and are conccrn'd 
for the Honor and Progress of this remarkable Work of God, 
may have an Interview at Boston, the Day after the approach- 
ing Commencement." The Invitation gives at greater length 



■nm BOSTON CONVENTION 0]? MINISTERS. 379 

tho objects of the meeting, and in conclusion calls upon any 
ministers who may be providentially detained from the meeting, 
to ' ' send their Attestations and communicate their Thoughts 
seasonably in wi'iting." 

Agreeable to this "Invitation," nearly One Hundred minis- 
ters met at Boston, on Thursday, July 7, 1743. Dr. Colman 
was chosen Moderator, Dr. Sewall, Assistant, Mr. Prince and 
Mr. Hobby, Scribes. They continued together through Thurs- 
day and Friday, and agreed upon a Result, occupying nearly 
seven pages of the "Christian History" for that year, which 
was styled as follows : ' ' The Testimony and Advice of an As- 
sembly of Pastors of Churches in New-England, at a Meeting 
in Boston July 7, 1743. Occasioned by the late happy Revi- 
val of Religion in many Parts of the Land. To which are 
added, Attestations contain'd in Letters from a Number of their 
Brethren, who were providentially hinder 'd from giving their 
Presence." 

Rev. Josiah Crocker of Taunton was a member of that Con- 
vention of ministers, and doubtless an interested and active 
member. He signed tho Result, as also. Rev. Samuel Tobey 
of Berkley. Rev. John ¥7ales. Pastor of the Church in Rayn- 
ham, sent in his Attestation in a written communication which 
will appear in another part of this volume. Rev. Mr. Prince, 
Scribe of the meeting, states through the "Christian History," 
that ' ' the Number of Pastors subscribing and attesting to a re- 
markable Revival of Religion in many Parts of the Land, as 
Published by the Committee of the late Venerable Assembly, 
was One Hundred and Eleven ; to which have been added three 
more communicated to us since, in all. One Hundred and Four- 
teen : of which are Two of the Five Congregational ministers 
in Rhode Island Colony; Nine belong to the Province of New- 
Hampshire; Twelve to the Colony of Connecticut; the other 
Ninety-One to the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. Of 
these One Hundred and Fourteen, there are Ninety-Six, who 
took their first Degreee of Bachelor of Arts, at one or other of 
our Colleges above Ten Years ago, besides the Rev. Mr. Moor- 



380 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

head, and tlio licv. Mr. McGregore, wlio are Gentlemon of a 
Liberal Education; of these Ninety-Six, there are Fifty-Six, 
who took their first Degree above Twenty years ago ; and of 
these Fifty-Six, there are Twenty-Six, who took their first De- 
gree above Thirty years ago. And as there had doubtless been 
many more Attestations from Pastors of Connecticut, if the 
Proposal which was published had reached them seasonably, so 
we doubt not but several will hereafter send them, which we 
shall faithfully communicate. 

One of the "Attestations" came from Eev. John Rogers of 
Ipswich, who writes, that "through Age, and Weakness of 
Body," he is "unable to travel so far," but is unwilling to al- 
low such an 0|)portunity to pass without signifying his ' ' hearty 
approbation of the Design of the meeting," as also his "readi- 
ness with Heart and Hand to subscribe to the most ample Tes- 
timony that may be drawn by a better Pen, for the Purpose 
named "in the call of the meeting. "Rev. and dear Breth- 
ren," continues this Patriarch of the Churches, "I shall on the 
very Day, of your proposed meeting, viz: July 7th, (God con- 
tinuiug my Life to that Day) enter on the 78th year of my age, 
and in the 54:th of my ministry. And now desire, as I have 
utmost Reason, to bless God, who has given me to see a Day of 
sucli marvellous Power and Grace." 

Rev. Mr. Thacher, Pastor of the first Church in Middleboro', 
"being prevented the Opportunity ef giving an oral Testimony 
to the Truth and Reality of the Extraordinary Work of the 
Lord," sends in his "Attestation," in which he remarks: 
" There have been about two Hundred in a judgment of Chari- 
ty savingly wrought on since November 1741. Diverse before, 
that had been met with under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. 
Daniel Rogers, and the Rev. Mr. Wheelock, not included in 
this number. But on one Day in November aforesaid, above 
Eighty were pricked at the Heart by a Sermon from Rom. 8 : 
1, had here from the Rev. Mr. Josiah Crocker. Scarce a Ser- 
mon delivered after that wonderful Day, but the Hearts of 
some seem to be reached by Conviction, Conversion, or Conso- 



MS. SERMONS OF CROCKER. 381 

lation. This Revival of the Power of Godliness appears to bo 
the genuine Work of the Holy Spirit accompanying his Word, 
and in answer to a Spirit of Prayer poured out from God to 
plead witli Faith in Christ for this Good. Tlio above said num- 
ber is exclusive of many Scores, who have been awakened by 
the Word in the late Showers, and yet I fear liave rested short 
of Christ, and become secure again." 

Note D. Page 335. 

The Ms. Sermons of Mr. Crocker were exceedingly brief in 
their best estate, and are now so worn with age and use, as to 
render it impracticable fully to transcribe them. There are 
only two of them in ray possession, probably the only ones, with 
the exception of a still briefer abstract in the hands of Rev. 
Mr. Brigham, which have survived the waste a«d wear of time. 
These were preserved with filial reverence by his youngest 
daughter, Hannah, the wife of Ralph H. Bowles, Esq., whoso 
son, Leonard Crocker Bowles, has allowed me their temporary 
use. The first is a double sermon, bearing date, "Sept. 28, 
1743," and preached both at Taunton and Raynham, from the 
words found in ''Canticles 6: 10. Who is she, that iooketh 
forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and 
terrible as an army with banners?" 

The Preacher remarks that these words "were spoken in 
praise and comm.ondation of the Church, Jehovah's bride, the 
Lamb's wife, wherein we have an elegant and beautiful descrip- 
tion of her in several excellent encomiums, emblems or Simili- 
tudes. This is a precious and excellent portion of Sacred 
Scripture, and gives us a very elegant and lofty, though just 
impression of the church, as composed of true believers in their 
militant state." The discussion of the subject extending 
through several pages is too obscure, to be readily deciphered. 
Let us thank the Rev. Author however that he has at the very 
threshold of the discussion, given us a clue to the whole Dis- 
course, and mirrored forth the main points, upon which he pro- 



382 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

posed to dwell, proving himself, in a single sentence, a sound 
interpreter of the Canticles, and possessed of the true idea of 
the Holy Ghost, in the impressive symbols, and delightful im- 
agery of that inimitable Book. 

The second, and only remaining Sermon, is in fragments, 
and founded on "Acts 24: 25." The reasonins; of Paul be- 
fore Felix, the force of truth on that man's mind, and the course 
he took to rid himself of it. A close examination of the Ms. 
convinces me, that the Preacher's soul was too full to express 
itself on paper. He could not stop to write. The pen glided 
quickly over the page, and left only hero and there a mark, a 
sign, the slightest possible symbol of what the man who held it, 
meant to do, and v/ith God's blessing, felt he might do. It 
was one of the sermons, I can easily believe, wliicli, in its ex- 
tended, extemporaneous form, cx})andcd by the warm heart, and 
earnest, glowing, fervid speech of young Crocker, moved vast 
assemblies, and made men cry out, through fear of a coming 
Judgment. 

Note. E. Pago 336. 

The fervor of the "dear youth," whom the Rev. Mr. Thach- 
cr so much loved, displeased some of his people. It is not 
strange that a world which hated Whiteficld so inveterately, 
should feel some measure of aversion toward one of his warmest 
friends. If the following paper had not been discovered 
amongst others which had long slumbered in this town, we 
might never have known that there were any " aggrieved breth- 
ren" to "exhibit their articles of char2;e " ao-ainst Mr. Crocker, 
His answer to these "chars-es " indicates the author's views of 

O 

doctrine and of duty, for which he alone is responsible. The 
document has been very accurately copied for the printer's use, 
at my request, by Rev. Doct. Jenks of Boston. 

To the ao;2;rieved Brethren of the Church of Chiiist in Taun- 
ton, in answer to some articles of charge which they have ex- 
hibited against mo, dated Sept. 23d, 1745. 



Crocker's answer to aggrieved brethren. 883 

Taunton, Dec. 20th, 1745. 

Beloved Brethren : — I acknowledge I am bound in duty 
to God and His people, especially the people of my pastoral 
charge, to endeavor to give them Christian satisfaction in any 
exception they take against me or my conduct; which I desiro 
GrOD may always make me willing and ready to do : therefore, 
as you having signified your uneasiness and aggrievance at my 
conduct in several articles exhibited against me under your 
hands, I would endeavor (God's graco assisting) to oifcr you 
grounds for Christian satisfaction concerning them — praying 
the Divine Spirit to fill us with the temper of Jesus Christ, and 
make us know the Truth as it is in Jesus, and willing to receive 
it in the love of it. To proceed then : in your introduction you 
object and say, I may remember that many of you were against 
my settling hero in the work of the ministry, and opposed my 
ordination in a writing under your hands ; and you arc sorry 
that you have reason to tell mo, that such has been my conduct 
since, that not only your uneasiness still remains, but many oth- 
ers are become uneasy also ; whereby the peace of the Church 
and Town is much broken, and tho work of relicrion much ob- 
structed and hindered. 

Upon this I would first observe, that there are not so many 
who have signed tho articles of charge exhibited against me, 
which I am now to consider, as signed against my ordination ; 
and what appears not is not. And as to the broken and divid- 
ed estate of tho church and town, and the work of religion being 
obstructedj it may be proper for each of us to examine what 
blameablo hand wo have had and still have therein. You pro- 
ceed, and say, I have not only carried myself strange towards 
those that I apprehended were uneasy with me, and have much 
neglected them in my visits. Here I acknowledge, through the 
temptation of tho world, flesh, and the devil, I have come short 
in every part of my ministry; for which I desire to be humbled, 
and flee to the blood of Christ for pardoning and cleansing day 
by day. But then, have I not spoken oft to you? Have I not 
conversed with you when I havo had opportunity? And as for 



384 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

my mucli neglecting of you in my visits, I say I appointed to 
catechise the children at two of the houses of those that appear- 
ed against me at my ordination — chiefly, because I would not 
make myself strange towards you, or neglect you in my visits. 
Moreover, I think I have visited all them that appeared against 
mo (save one,) and some of them often. And did ever any of 
you or them send for me when sick and I refuse to come — 
whilst many who have always appeared for me I have seldom if 
ever visited. I might also mention some reasons why I have 
not visited you as well as others oftener, but I forbear. 

You say further; when any of them that were uneasy with 
me have come to me to express their uneasiness, instead of giv- 
ing them satisfactory answers I have risen up to pray over them 
as unconverted persons. To this I say, that by this paragraph 
you seem to intimate, that I did not endeavor to give Christian 
satisfaction to any who were uneasy with me, and came to mo 
to express their uneasiness; but put them off, sometimes at least, 
by rising up to pray over them as unconverted, &c.; which if 
you intend, I think you are mistaken. But if you do not in- 
tend so, but only what I said to them was not satisfactory, &c., 
I say, I endeavored to give them Christian satisfaction; and if 
they were not satisfied with what I said to them, how can I help 
that? Possibly, the fault was in them. And as to my rising 
up to pray over them as unconverted, sometimes; I say, that I 
remember a particular person who came to signify his uneasiness 
at some things he said I delivered in my preaching, &c., whom 
I endeavored to answer according to the Scriptures; and, upon 
further conversation with him, I was jealous lest he was uncon- 
verted, and told him my fear, &c. I spake to him about pray- 
ing, &c. He said he never was against praying ; and I prayed 
with him; and was there any harm in that? 

Once also some of you came to me to desire my consent for 
some minister's preaching a stated Lecture, &c. Thinking we 
had need of the Divine presence and direction at that time, I 
offered to pray with you, but you refused ; and when you would 
not consent to join with me in prayer, T proceeded to converse 



Crocker's answer to aggrieved brethren. 885 

with you upon your difficulties for some time. I did not offer 
to pray with you as unconverted persons. And would there 
have been any hurt in praying together then ? Bid we not need 
the Divine presence and direction? And would it not have 
been proper to have asked it together ? 

You say further, that ray sermons on the Sabbath-days many 
times appeared to you as unstudied, inconsistent, a mere med- 
ley, witliout any rational order or connection, and conser[uently 
unedifying and unprofitable. As for my sermons appdring 
unstudied to you sometimes ; I say, I think it my duty to study 
my sermons, and I accordingly endeavor it, though sometimes 
when I have just come off a journey, &c., I have not spent that 
time in studying them which otherwise I would have done. And 
I think, when I have ])een thus hindered in Providence from 
studying my sermons as usual, I have often found God assisting 
me, and, I believe, blessing my labors to the good of souls. 
As for their being inconsistent, I must leave that to the judg- 
ment of those that have heard me preach from time to time ; 
some of whom, I trust, (to the glory of Divine grace be it spo- 
ken,) have received saving advantage by them. And it may 
be wisdom for those that did not to inquire whether part of the 
blame may not be laid to their own unbelief. 

Further, you say I have in my public sermons and private 
conversations delivered such strange doctrines, and uttered 
such unaccountable expressions as have been very grievous and 
offensive to you as well as some others ; and you would take 
leave particularly to mention some of them which have been of- 
fensive. Accordingly, I proceed to consider them. 

1. As to the first, second, and thirteenth articles, I only ob- 
serve at present, that they have been laid in against me before 
the Council that ordained me, and were not judged a sufficient 
bar to my ordination. Moreover, the Church have voted them- 
selves satisfied with me for their pastor. For all these articles, 
I therefore do not think it proper to consider them at this time 
and in this way. 

2. As to the third article, viz: 'If God was not,' &o. I 



386 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

suppose you refer to a sermon I preached upon Psalm 124 : 8, 
wherein, speakmg of God's allsufficiency to help his people ; of 
the allsufBcicncy of his grace to pardon their sins ; of their 
murmurings because of delayed mereies; of God's patience, 
&c., I said, as I remember, in these words: it was because 
God was God, that He did not send them to hell — for if God 
was not God He would send them to hell for their murmurings, 
&c. I might have added, * from off those seats they sit on ;' 
not 'with those seats.' I did not think (xOD was angry with the 
seats, and would send them to hell. Now by this phrase I 
meant, and I think the run of my discourse showed that I 
meant, as the prophet Hosea, 11:9, and Malachi 3 : 6, and as 
Moses, when he said. Num. 14 : 17, * Lord, let thy power be 
great,' and plainly shows, that it is an act of power to pardon 
sin; and as it is an act of power to pardon sin, so to bear with 
sinners, &c. None but God could bear with such affronts as 
sinners, yea, his own people offer him, and yet delay the execu- 
tion of deserved vengeance, &c. 

3. As to the fourth article, viz: 'The more good works,' &c., 
I say, I do not know that ever I used just that phrase. But if 
I did, I believe I sufficiently explained myself: because I think 
in that doctrine, with some others, I have endeavored especially 
to bo cautious in delivering myself, as to my opinion in this 
point. My sermons, and most at least of my hearers can wit- 
ness, I believe, that I preach agreeable with the Westminster 
Confession of Faith, chap. 16: 7, and ours, drawn up by the 
venerable Synod of 1680, chap. 16 : 8. And as every thing 
that an unregenerate man doth is sin, he not doing any thing 
from a right principle and to a right end ; so, the more works 
he does, though for the matter of them good, the more he sins ; 
nevertheless, his sin would be greater to neglect doing those 
works which for the matter arc good, or to do works which for 
matter are evil. 

4. As to the fifth article, viz : ' Let a man be ever so sincere,' 
&c., I say, that this article may have a double meaning put 
upon it— one false, the other true. Wherefore I a^k, did I 



Crocker's answer to AaoRiEVED brethren. 387 

ever tell you, or mj people, that, lot a regenerate man be ever 
so sincere in his desires to be accepted with God, lie had not 
one promise, &c.? No, I believe, never — but have always 
told you and them, that all the promises are yea and amen in 
Christ Jesus to them, to the glory of God: but, as for unregen- 
erate men, consider them with all the moral sincerity of their 
desires to be accepted with God. I know not of any other en- 
couragement tlicy have to wait on God in a way of duty fur his 
special grace for acceptance with him, than a 'perhaps,' or 'who 
can tell?' See. 

5. As to the sixth article, viz: 'That every converted' &c., 
I say, that I do not know tliat ever I said so. Indeed I believe, 
that faith acting on Christ for pardon and acceptance is a sensi- 
ble, felt act; and I believe, that all who sincerely close with 
Christ have a greater or less degree of rest, and of felt rest too, 
according to the degree of thcii' faith, and the strength of its 
acting on Christ : and said once in fore-cited sermon upon Psalm 
124 : 8, as I remember (to cut off the false hopes of those who 
thought they had true faith, and yet never felt it — never felt 
their souls resting in Christ,) to this purpose ; that a converted 
sinner, coming out of drowning depths for his recovery and rest- 
ing in Christ for salvation, felt it as sensibly as a man getting 
out of the water upon a rock felt himself on a rock, or as I felt 
my feet upon the place where I stood. But then there is a 
great difference between feeling my faith in Christ, and feeling 
and knowing that I have some degrees of rest, and knowing 
the nature and kind of my faith and rest. The person that has 
faith in Christ and rest in some measure may nevertheless doubt, 
whether his faith and rest are of the right kind, peculiar to the 
regenerate, though he feels his faith, and feels and knows that 
he has some degree of rest. But how? say you. Because 
there is a difference between a person feeling his soul resting on 
Christ by faith, &c., and knowing the nature and quality of 
his faith and rest in Christ, whether it be such a kind of faith 
as is particular to the elect regenerate, or whether it be not one 
that trusts in Christ for the remission of his sins, and life ever- 



888 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

lasting ; may nevertheless doubt whether this persuasion comes 
from Him that calls him, as I often have observed to you : — 
though I hold the doctrine of infallible assurance of salvation 
in this life, and have preached it to my people ; and yet how 
often have I told you and them, that a believer may be in tUe 
dark as to his estate, yea, walk in darkness and see no light of 
comfort, though his doubts as to his state do not arise from this, 
viz : whether he has had a change passed upon his life and con- 
versation (if he was not strict therein before his conversion,) 
and also a remarkable change wrought on the very bent and 
tenor of his mind : but they are from this, viz : whether the 
change ho has experienced is such a change as none but believ- 
ers experience. And some of you may remember, that when 
you mentioned something of this article to me, I said to the 
same purpose as I have now done, 

6. As to the seventh article, viz: 'That we must believe,' 
&c., I say, though I do not remember it, I might use this 
phrase or sentence, and believe it to be truth ; Jesus Christ is 
God, coessential, coccjual, and coeternal with God the Father 
and God the Holy Ghost: Jesus Christ is the object of faith 
unfeigned, &c. See also Acts 20 : 28, 1 John 3 : 16. 

7. As to the eighth article, viz: 'To assert,' &c., I suppose 
you refer to a passage in Mr. John Caldwell's senuon upon 
'the trial of the spirit,' page 21, which I said, one evening at 
brother Nathaniel Linkon's, was an Arminiau principle. And 
was I mistaken? I think not. Do they not make the obedience 
of faith a condition of salvation, &c.? See Dr. Owen's ' Dis- 
play of Arminianism,' page 351. 'God hath appointed the 
obedience of faith to he the means of salvation. If men fulfill 
this condition He determineth to save them, &c.' I believe 
the practice of the moral law is not a necessary condition to sal- 
vation. Good works, or the practice of the moral law from 
riglit principles and to right ends, are a part of salvation, but 
[not?] a necessary condition, &c., Titus 2: 11-14. Indeed, 
new obedience to the moral law will flow from an unfeigned 
faitli in Christ, justifying righteousness, as I told you that eve- 



crocker'3 answer to aggrieved brethren. 389 

ning, with more to the same purpose. I believed then, and do 
now, that we are justified by faith alone, without the deeds of 
the law, Romans 3 : 28.; that we are saved not by works of 
righteousness, &c., Titus 3: 5.; that, should a man die imme- 
diately upon his receiving Christ by faith unfeigned, he would 
be saved; that a sound believer indeed has a new principle of 
obedience implanted in him by the Divine Spirit; that lie is 
obliged to yield obedience to the moral law as a rule of life, 
though not that he may be either justified or condemned by it 
— he being under tho law, not as a covenant, but only as a rule 
of life, a binding rule, &c., fee, &c. And would you know 
my Opinion more fully in this matter, I agree with chap. 11, 
16, 19 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, 11, 14, IG, 19 
of our Confession of 1680. 

8. As to the ninth ariicle, viz: *Your fref][uently asserting,' 
&;o., I say, I do not remember my frcq^uent asserting that I be- 
lieved that not one half of my church wore converted. Indeed 
I have often mentioned Matt. 25, (beginning) to you, and may 
have expressed my jealou.sy and fear lest there were not a full 
half, or not half of my church converted, that you might bo 
stirred up to a critical self-examination, whether you were con- 
verted or no — stirred up, not to rest in a form, but to make 
sure of the power of godliness. Again, I do not remember my 
using just these words, viz : that I believed that the one half of 
my people were self-righteous; but it is very likely I have said 
so, or words to that purpose. And I still believe, that the one 
hcilf of my people are self-righteous, and that they are ignorant 
of Gtod's righteousness ; and when they seek after any righte- 
ousness at all, they go about to establish their own righteous- 
ness, and have not submitted to the righteousness of God, &c. 
And would to God I had Scripture-grounds to think, that thero 
are not above half my people self-righteous. Judging them 
by their fruits, I think it no breach of charity to think one half 
of them self-rio-hteous. 

Again, I do not remember my using just those expressions, 
viz : that my people wero as bad as tho devils, nay, worse than 



390 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

the devils in hell. But I have 'said, not only my people, but 
ail men l^y nature have a devilish nature, the same enmity, for 
kind, reionino^ in them as in the devils and damned ; that natu- 
ral men have the devil's image, &c. Indeed their enmity does 
not act now just as the enmity of the devils and damned, he- 
cause they are not in total despair, &:c. I have also said to 
this purpose, that unbelievers go beyond the devils in rejecting 
Christ and his righteousness, &c., for the devils never had the 
offer. Again, you say that I said, 'that the men of Sodom,' 
&c. In sermon, having been speaking of the awful sin of re- 
jecting Christ and his righteousness, when applying myself to 
Christless sinners, I said, to allude to that, even Sodomites will 
cry out, make room, or way, for Taunton sinners, Gospel sin- 
ners; for you will have a lower place in hell than they. And 
what saith the Scripture? Matt. 11: 20-2-1. Our rejecting 
Christ and Gospel-grace aggravates our guilt, and so it will our 
misery, if we continue to do it till death, beyond those who nev- 
er heard of Christ, or enjoyed like Gospel-privileges with us, &c. 

9. As to the tenth article, viz: ' My endeavoring, ' &c., I 
ask, how you know that the end I purpose in preaching, and 
preaching earnestly sometimes, is, that my jjeople may cry out, 
fall down, &c. Have I not told you in public (in order to re- 
move prejudice,) that what I purposed in preaching, and preach- 
ing sometimes with earnestness, was, that sinners might be ef- 
fectually awakened, convinced, humbled, &c.; and not that 
they might cry out, fall down, &c. But if God was pleased to 
set home truth with such power upon their consciences as that 
they were constrained to cry out, I desire to submit to his will. 
Have I not also, more than once, when any have been crying 
out, &c., desired them, if possible, to refrain their passions, &c.? 

Again, how do I endeavor to terrify my hearers, as you call 
it? Is it not by my setting truth, before them? — and some- 
times, through God's grace, speaking of Truth with some sense 
of its infinite importance ? — though I have reason to be asham- 
ed and blush before God, that I so often speak of Divine truths 
with so little sense of their vast importance. But you say, that 



CROCKER'S ANSWER TO AGGRIEVED BRETHRE5T. 391 



sometimes I use unwarrantable means to reach the above paid 
ends, See. To prove tliis, you mention one evening at Mrs. 
Tisdale's. To tliis I answer, as I remember, Mr. Brett bad 
been preaching about the Day of Judgment, and he said in his 
discourse that he had seen eleven blazing stars, or thereabouts, 
that morning; which appearance he endeavored to improve to 
quicken his hearers to prepare for the Day of Judgment, cS^c. 
After he had concluded, I gave a word of exhortation, and I 
believe I mentioned those streams of light I had seen that morn- 
ing ; but did not call them blazing stars, for I did not think 
they were ; but the appearance was strange and awful to me, 
and I endeavored to improve it in my exhortation, to excite the 
people to prepare for the Day of Judgment. As I remember, 
I endeavored to urge truths upon the people's minds, and be- 
lieve they were accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
And, as I remember, there was a stir among the people, &c. 
IMr. Brett indeed said lo mo he thought they were blazing stars, 
but I did not after I had viewed them. 

10. As to the eleventh article, viz : * God may,' &c., I say, 
I know not that I said any such thing. I did believe then, and 
do believe now, th.at whomsoever God pardons he accepts as 
righteous in his sight, &c., according as Justification is describ- 
ed in our Shorter Catechism. The sermon you refer to in this 
article, as I suppose, was from James 5 : 16; which sermon I 
preached twice, because I had heard that some had excepted 
against, or were stumbled at some things in it, which I appre- 
hend they mistook. In each sermon I endeavored to describe 
Justification according to the Shorter Catechism. I endeavored 
to show that there were two parts in Justification, viz : pardon 
and acceptance : to show the necessity of the passive as well as 
the active obedience of Christ, to be believed in and imputed 
to us for our justification in God's sight. To show that accept- 
ance as righteous was not contained in pardon by a necessity of 
nature, I said, God might have so dealt with man as to have 
pardoned hira and not have accepted him as righteous, &:c., as 
a prince might pardon a traitor and not receive him into his 



392 THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON. 

special favor. But I said, that now, according as GtOD had de- 
termined to deal with sinners according to the Covenant of 
Grace, whomsoever He pardons He accepts as righteous in his 
sight, &c. Thus (as I remember) I have given you a repre- 
sentation of the case as it was spoke; to the same purpose as 
what I find the Rev. Dr. Owen saith on Justification, page 386; 
as also according to what the E-ev. Mr. Stoddard saith in his 
' Safety in appearing in Christ's righteousness,' page 45 ; and 
I had some reference to what the Rev. Dr. Watts saith in his 
first sermon on John, the 5 : 10, page 20 ; in twelves. 

11. As to the twelfth article, viz: * You debar' &c., I say, 
if by debarring you mean ray examining such into their Chris- 
tian experience of a work of grace on their hearts, who offer to 
join to our communion, and advising them according to the ac- 
count they give of themselves, then it is true ; though 1 confess 
I have reason to be humble under want of my greater strictness 
in examining them, &c. But if by debarring you mean abso- 
lutely denying them, I say, I am not conscious of my being 
guilty herein. Some I have propounded to the Church, and 
they have been admitted into our communion, whom I did not 
look on as converted — after I had warned them of their danger, 
advised tliem, &c., they insisting on it as their duty, &c. 

12. As to the fourteenth article, viz: 'You said that a man 
is damned for,' &c., I say upon it, if I did express myself just 
in that manner, or in those words, that I believe I endeavored 
to teach, that every thing that an unregenerate man does is sin. 
For the matter of the action, it may be good, and duty; yet be- 
cause he performs it from a wrong principle, viz : self, and to a 
wrong end, viz : self, it is sin; and he is by God's law damned 
for it — condemned, as this word is used, Romans, 14: 23. 
And if he dies without faith unfeigned in Christ, if he dies in 
unregeneracy, he will be actually damned for every thing he 
ever has done. Indeed, the former reason why an unconverted 
man is damned, or condemned, for praying, and doing actions 
for the matter of them commanded, is not because he prays, 
&c., but because he prays &c., not in faith, with an unholy 



ECCLESIASTICAL COUx^fCIL IN 17(33. 893 

heart, &c. Tlicy that aro in the flcsli eaii not please God; 
Romans, 8 : 8. 

13. As to your conclusion, your objecting my not signing, 
&c., a paper you fcrouglit me, desiring my consent, &c., I say, 
I did not think it for the glory of God to sign to it ; neither (as 
I remember) did any ministers that I conversed with advise mc 
to it. What would have been the consequence of such a way 
of proceeding? 

Thus, Brethren, I have considered, and endeavored to answer 
your articles of charge, «fee., according to truth. May the Lord 
fill us all with His Holy Spirit, and give us peace founded upon 
truth and holiness, without which we cannot sec the Loed. 

Wishing and praying that grace, mercy, and peace from God 
the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, may be multiplied to us 
and all the Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, I subscribe 
myself Your Pastor in the Lord, 

(Signed) Josiaii Crocker. 

Note F. Page 336. 

Later in Mr. Crocker's ministry, "charges" were preferred 
not only against his preaching, but against his personal charac- 
ter. These were considered by an Ecclesiastical Council con- 
vened at Taunton, Oct. 25, 17G3, and a paper containing their 
proceedings has come down to us, in such an imperfect, mutila- 
ted state as to render it nearly useless. From it may be gath- 
ered however the general fact, that the Churches represented 
regarded Mr. Crocker worthy of the continued confidence of his 
people, although he had on some occasions laid himself open to 
the charge of a too free use of the cup. He had without doubt, 
enemies " for righteousness' sake," but whether they said "all 
manner of evil" against him ^^ falsely''^ is not certain. I am 
inclined to think that the sixth minister of this town was not, 
as he ought to have been, a thorough Temperance man. Few 
indeed were the total abstainers from all intoxicating drinks in 
that day. The wonder is, that when Ministers and Physicians 



394 THE MINISTRY OP TAUNTON. 

ill tlicir frequent calls, could hardly enter a house, where there 
was not a sideboard well stocked with the most tempting drinks, 
which well-meant hospitality suffered no such guest to dccliae, 
that each Profoswion was not more seriously harmed in its mem- 
hers. The present century claims the honor of originating the 
Temperance movement. Rev. Doctor Bridgman, Missionary of 
the A. B. c. F. M. to China, who has recently returned to this 
country for the benefit of his health, organized the first Tem- 
perance society in Taunton not far from twenty-five years ago. 
The man who jirst signed the pledge of Total Abstinence, on 
that occasion, then Superintendent of the Trinitarian Congrega- 
tional Sabbath School, is now living, viz : Dea. Philander W. 
Dean. 

Supplementary Note. 

J. Wingate Thornton, Esq., of Boston, sent me the following 
scrap, illustrative of the state of things in town in 1759, as 
the proof of the preceding was being returned to the printer : 

" Taunton, 1759, Aug. 5. Called on Mr. Crocker, who 
informed me that some revival in religion had lately taken place 
among his people, and that several had been hopefully convert- 
ed. Desirable, animating news ! It is like refreshing water to 
the thirsty soul." 

Rev. JosErn Croswell's Journal. 






lii 







J 92 8 



^ 



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